What is Ceftiofur

Ceftiofur is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic with a significant action on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, such as beta-lactamase-producing strains.

This product belongs to the 3rd generation cephalosporins. This group of antibiotics resembles functionally and structurally to penicillin.

Ceftiofur is a commonly used veterinary antibiotic. It is bactericidal in action and significantly helpful in managing respiratory infections in pigs and cattle. 

Ceftiofur prevents the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, making it effective against a wide range of bacteria. Some conditions that Ceftiofur may help fight are bovine pneumonia, acute mastitis and metritis, and interdigital necrobacillosis.

Definition

Ceftiofur, as with all cephalosporins, has a nucleus, 7 aminocephalosporanic acids. The nucleus has two rings, β-lactame ring and dihydrothiazine ring, which are fused to each other. 

The product can be used as a free base or a sodium salt. 

Chemical Features

• CAS Number: 104010-37-9

• Molecular formula: C19H17N5O7S3

• Molecular Weight: 523.6 g/mol

• Monoisotopic Mass: 545.010956 g/mol

• Exact Mass: 545.010956 g/mol

• Melting Point: 186° C - 198° C

Chemical Structure

Brand Names

Ceftiofur is commercially sold and marketed under the mentioned brand names:

• Naxcel? 

• Excenel? 

Ceftiofur Sodium VS Ceftiofur Hydrochloride

Ceftiofur molecule has zwitter ionic characteristics, and thus it can be synthesized in its different salts.

Two main salts of Ceftiofur

As the name suggests, Ceftiofur Sodium is a sodium salt of Ceftiofur, a broad-spectrum, beta-lactamase-stable, third-generation cephalosporin. 

Ceftiofur Hydrochloride, on the other hand, is a hydrochloride salt form of Ceftiofur.

Ceftiofur sulfate forms and specifications

You can find Ceftiofur in the following forms:

• Ceftiofur sodium for injection

• Ceftiofur hydrochloride powder

Ceftiofur Mechanism of Action

Ceftiofur is a beta-lactamase-stable, semisynthetic, third-generation, broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic.

The product binds to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) present on the inner membrane of the cell wall of the bacteria. These proteins play an essential role in the final stages of gathering the cell wall and reshaping it during division and growth. 

Inhibiting the growth of PBP prevents the cross-linkage of peptidoglycan chains, which are crucial for cell wall rigidity and strength. Ceftiofur targets the enzymes to hinder the transpeptidation of peptidoglycan. The βlactame ring of the product is responsible for this antibacterial activity.

All this gradually results in the weakening of the bacterial cell wall, causing it to break.

This action makes Ceftiofur an excellent choice of antibiotic.

Studies in the lab and on animals have shown Ceftiofur to be helpful against Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica, two main bacteria responsible for bovine respiratory diseases such as shipping fever and pneumonia. 

This product is also seen to be active against:

• Corynebacterium pyogenes

• Histophilus somni

• Fusobacterium necrophorum

• Bacteroides melaninogenicus

• Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

• Pasteurella multocida

• Salmonella choleraesuis

• Streptococcus suis

The broad-spectrum action of the product is due to its property of being resistant to inactivation by βlactamase, an enzyme produced by many bacteria to protect themselves.

Ceftiofur Manufacturing Process

Here is the brief manufacturing process:

? 7-amino-3-thiomethyl furoyl-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid is added to (2-tritylaminothiazol-4-yl)-2-methoxyimino acetic acid

? Activation by hydroxy benzotriazole

? The process of amidification takes place in a system containing water and water-immiscible inert organic solvent for about 45 to 90 minutes

? This causes a significantly low level of impurities

? Removal of the trityl protecting group through selective extraction 

Ceftiofur Uses

Ceftiofur is mainly used to treat respiratory tract bacterial infections in pigs and swine. 

Here are some of its uses:

Cattle

• Shipping fever

• Pneumonia

• Pododermatitis

• Foot rot

Swine

• Swine bacterial pneumonia caused by Pasteurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis, and Salmonella choleraesuis

Goat

• Caprine respiratory disease, also called goat pneumonia

Sheep

• Sheep respiratory disease

Horses

• Respiratory infections caused by Streptococcus zooepidemicus

Dogs

• Canine urinary tract infections

Day-Old Chicks

• E. coli infections

Day-Old Turkey Poults

• E. coli infections

Ceftiofur Side Effects

The use of this product is relatively safe. However, it may cause the mentioned side effects:

• Sensitization after a prolonged exposure

• Immediate, transient pain at the site of injection

• Acute diarrhea

• Hypersensitivity reaction causing hives, itching, and swelling

• Anemia and reversible thrombocytopenia

Its effect is not studied in lactating, neonatal, and pregnant animals, and its use in such cases should thus be avoided.

How to Reconstitute

• For 1 gram vial: Use 20 mL of sterile water for injection. Each mL of the reconstituted solution comprises of ceftiofur sodium equivalent to 50 mg Ceftiofur.

• For 4 gram vial: Use 80 mL of sterile water for injection. Each mL of the reconstituted solution comprises of ceftiofur sodium equivalent to 50 mg Ceftiofur.

Ceftiofur Sodium Manufacturers in China

Many reputed manufacturers offer Ceftiofur. Some famous ones are:

• Amicogen (China) Biopharm Co., Ltd: This emerging pharmaceutical company believe in providing quality products. They are delivering high-quality raw materials in China and internationally. 

• Shandong Fumeile Animal Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd: This pharmaceutical company is involved in production of water-soluble fluorobenzene A. It is also a veterinary drug GMP company, providing raw materials such as Ceftiofur Sodium

Where to Buy Bulk Ceftiofur? 

You can get buy Mupirocin from PharmaSources.com. It is a vertical e-commerce online destination with many quality global suppliers, such as pharmaceutical ingredient suppliers, health equipment suppliers, medical product suppliers and surgical instruments suppliers, etc. PharmSources offers high-quality products to about 211 countries and regions.

FAQ

What Is the Difference Between Cephapirin Sodium and Ceftiofur?

Cephapirin Sodium is a sodium salt of Cephapirin, a first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic.

It works by preventing the last step of transpeptidation, which is the step of peptidoglycan synthesis and cross-linking of peptidoglycan units. All this lowers the bacterial cell wall stability, causing the cells to break.

Cephapirin Sodium is mainly used to treat infections in cattle if they are caused by susceptible strains of genitourinary, respiratory, skin, gastrointestinal, bone and joints, soft tissues, and skin infections.

Ceftiofur is a third-generation cephalosporin. It works by binding to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) present on the inner membrane of the cell wall of the bacteria. Similar to Cephapirin Sodium, it prevents the last step of transpeptidation. This product is mainly helpful for respiratory infections of pigs and cattle.

This product is more effective against gram-negative bacteria as compared to Cephapirin Sodium. It may also be more effective against bacteria resistant to Cephapirin Sodium.

However, Cephapirin Sodium is more effective against gram-positive bacteria than Ceftiofur.

What Does Ceftiofur Sodium Target?

Ceftiofur Sodium targets the enzymes to block the inhibit the transpeptidation of peptidoglycan. The βlactame ring of the product is responsible for the antibacterial activity. All this breaks the bacterial cell wall.

What Generation Is Ceftiofur Sodium?

Ceftiofur is a third-generation cephalosporin.