Advertisement for orthosearch.org.uk
You currently have no access to view or download this content. Please log in with your institutional or personal account if you should have access to through either of these
The Bone & Joint Journal Logo

Receive monthly Table of Contents alerts from The Bone & Joint Journal

Comprehensive article alerts can be set up and managed through your account settings

View my account settings

A new in-vitro model to investigate antibiotic penetration of the intervertebral disc



Download PDF

Abstract

We have studied the ability of a range of antibiotics to penetrate intervertebral disc tissue in vitro, using a mouse disc model. Equilibrium concentrations of antibiotics incorporated into the entire disc were determined by bioassay using a microbial growth-inhibition method. Uptake was significantly higher with positively-charged aminoglycosides compared with negatively-charged penicillins and cephalosporins. Uncharged ciprofloxacin showed an intermediate degree of uptake. Our results support the hypothesis that electrostatic interaction between charged antibiotics and negatively-charged glycosaminoglycans in the disc is an important factor in antibiotic penetration, and may explain their differential uptake.

For access options please click here