Antibiotic neurotoxicity

Abstract

✓ By ventriculocisternal perfusion, a series of newer antibiotics were circulated through the central nervous system to ascertain the potential toxicity of these drugs to the nervous parenchyma. Ampicillin, carbenicillin, gentamycin sulfate, and polymyxin B sulfate appear to be well tolerated whereas cephalexin monohydrate and penicillin G caused a repeated pattern of significant CSF pleocytosis, histological evidence of periventricular perivascular infiltrates, and evidence of clinical toxicity. A regime for treatment of central nervous system infections is presented, derived from the data presented above. Preliminary experience in a clinical series appears to support this program.