Suppressive effect of subminimal inhibitory concentrations of clindamycin on the neutrophil chemotactic factors production in Propionibacterium acnes and coagulase-negative staphylococci

Abstract

The effect of clindamycin (CLDM) at subminimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MIC), i.e. one-tenth MIC, on the production of human neutrophil chemotactic factors in comedonal bacteria, Propionibacte-rium acnes (P. acnes) strains and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) strains, was assayed using Boyden chamber method. Sub-MIC of CLDM markedly inhibited the production of neutrophil chemotactic factors in all strains of P. acnes and CNS. Our results seem to suggest that sub-MIC of CLDM has an anti-inflammatory effect presumably due to the inhibition of neutrophil chemotactic factors production in comedonal bacteria on the inflammatory process of acne.