PRIMAXIN® is a combination of cilastatin and imipenem. Cilastatin is a specific and reversible renal dehydropeptidase-I inhibitor. Imipenem is a penem antibacterial drug. Since the antibiotic, imipenem, is hydrolyzed by dehydropeptidase-I, which resides in the brush border of the renal tubule, cilastatin is administered with imipenem to block the metabolism and thus the inactivation of imipenem so that antibacterial levels of imipenem can be attained in the urine. However, cilastatin in and of itself does not have any antibacterial activity. It also prevents the metabolism of leukotriene D4 to leukotriene E4 through the inhibition of leukotriene D4 dipeptidase.

PRIMAXIN® is a combination of cilastatin and imipenem. Cilastatin is a specific and reversible renal dehydropeptidase-I inhibitor. Imipenem is a penem antibacterial drug. Since the antibiotic, imipenem, is hydrolyzed by dehydropeptidase-I, which resides in the brush border of the renal tubule, cilastatin is administered with imipenem to block the metabolism and thus the inactivation of imipenem so that antibacterial levels of imipenem can be attained in the urine. However, cilastatin in and of itself does not have any antibacterial activity. It also prevents the metabolism of leukotriene D4 to leukotriene E4 through the inhibition of leukotriene D4 dipeptidase.