Antibiotics · Published 2026-07-20 · DOI 10.3390/antibiotics15070704
Gu Hae Kim, Na Rae Kang, Jisoo Kang, Seungjae Jang, Seungyu Lee, Dawon Kang, Jeong Yoon Kim
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Imipenem, known as a carbapenem, is widely used in combination with Cilastatin to treat severe bacterial infections. Imipenem is a β-lactam antibiotic with potent antibacterial activity but a relatively unstable chemical structure. Due to these structural characteristics, it may degrade or undergo structural changes over time in aqueous solutions. <b>Methods</b>: In this study, Imipenem was investigated for its structural stability over time in aqueous solution at 37 °C. Structural changes in the Imipenem/Cilastatin solution were confirmed by HPLC-DAD at the maximum absorbance wavelength. <b>Results</b>: Imipenem undergone progressive degradation and structural transformation for the dimerization, while Cilastatin remained stable under the same conditions. LC-Q-TOF/MS confirmed the formation of a dimeric Imipenem species after prolonged incubation. Antibacterial activity showed that Imipenem was effective against <i>P. carotovorum</i> regardless of the dissolution times. However, Imipenem solution after 24 h with chemical degradation exhibited significantly decreased effects against <i>E. coli</i> and <i>P. aeruginosa</i>. <b>Conclusions</b>: Accordingly, the patterns of metabolite changes in Imipenem and Cilastatin were characterized according to concentration and dissolution time, and the corresponding antibacterial activities against different bacterial strains were compared.
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Kim, G., Kang, N., Kang, J., et al. (2026). Time-Dependent Degradation of Imipenem in Aqueous Solution and Its Impact on Antibacterial Activity. Antibiotics. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15070704