Ceftiofur hydrochloride (U-67279A) is the hydrochloride salt form of ceftiofur, a semisynthetic, beta-lactamase-stable, broad-spectrum, third-generation cephalosporin with antibacterial activity.

Ceftiofur can downregulate tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), but did not affect interleukin-10 (IL-10) production. Ceftiofur significantly inhibits extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation protein expression in RAW 264.7 cells. Ceftiofur also inhibits p65-NF-kappaB translocation into the nucleus in RAW 264.7 cells. [1]

Ceftiofur treatment is associated with a significant decrease in rectal temperature and diarrhea in neonatal calves. Ceftiofur results in a significant decrease in fecal shedding of Salmonella organisms in neonatal calves. [2] Ceftiofur hydrochloride (intrauterine (i.u.)) reduces the prevalence of positive uterineculture in cows with clinical endometritis (29.0 vs. 51.4%) and reduces the overall prevalence of Arcanobacterium pyogenes (1.0 vs. 7.6%) at 51 d in milk (DIM) . Ceftiofur hydrochloride reduces the prevalence of uterine infection in cows with clinical endometritis, and the prevalence of A. pyogenes, but does not affect the prevalence of subclinical endometritis or fertility of dairy cows already receiving PGF(2alpha). [3] Ceftiofur hydrochloride (i.m. injection) results in C(max) of 11.8 mg/mL at 1-4 hours after injection, the mean area under the curve (AUC) of 216 m g x h/mL in pigs. [4] Ceftiofur hydrochloride (2.2 mg of CE/kg, SC or IM, once daily for 5 days) is efficacious for treatment of acute postpartum metritis (APM) in dairy cows. [5]