Clavulanate potentiated ticarcillin contains two components with an established safety record. Ticarcillin used clinically alone and with clavulanate, a component of clavulanate potentiated amoxycillin, given orally or intravenously. No pharmacokinetic interaction occurs between the two components when given together in man or animals in which metabolism is qualitatively similar to man. Safety evaluation studies carried out in the animals established as suitable for studying the toxicology of ticarcillin have shown no unexpected synergistic or antagonistic toxic effects of Timentin not predicted from the toxicological evaluation of clavulanate alone. Reproductive mutagenic, cardiovascular and general pharmacological studies have shown no significant hazard from Timentin. Clinical experience with ticarcillin has been reviewed, and impairment of platelet function, seen at supratherapeutic doses, has been shown in an animal model not to be influenced by clavulanate. The assessment of the safety of ticarcillin and clavulanate for therapeutic use in man is thus comprised of the clinical experience with ticarcillin and parenteral clavulanate in clavulanate potentiated amoxycillin, animal safety evaluation studies, and the clinical experience with Timentin reported in this symposium.