Antibacterial effects of combination use of arbekacin (ABK) with cefmetazole (CMZ) or flomoxef (FMOX) were evaluated against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and the following results were obtained. 1. Antibacterial effects of combinations of ABK with CMZ and with FMOX were equally potent against MRSA at clinically expected 1 MIC of ABK in blood. However, at a sub MIC of ABK different effects were observed between the 2 combinations. The former combination was slightly less effective than the latter. 2. In either combination the potency of the antibacterial activity was less dependent on the concentration of CMZ or FMOX, but was strongly dependent on ABK concentrations. These results suggest that antibacterial effects of the combinations were highly dependent on antibacterial potency and concentration of ABK as previously reported for combinations of ABK with other drugs. 3. It appears that the antibacterial activity of the combination of the sub MIC of ABK with a beta-lactam is an important point in considering the effectiveness of a combination therapy.