Abstract
Effects of macrolide antibiotics used in dental practice on chemotaxis and phagocytosis of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were investigated by means of a rabbit mandibular infection model prepared according to the Satoh-Heimdahl method. Erythromycin (EM), clarithromycin (CAM), roxithromycin (RXM), josamycin (JM), midecamycin (MDM), and rokitamycin (RKM) were selected for the study, and the following results were obtained:
1) With regard to the influence of macrolide treatment at low concentrations (1μg/ mL) on PMN chemotaxis, enhancement of the activity was slightly observed by treatments with EM and JM, in the 12th week, but there was no significant difference. An inhibitory tendency was observed by treatments with the other drugs, but there was no significant difference.
2) With regard to the influence of macrolide treatment at low concentrations (1μg/mL) on PMN phagocytosis, in term of phagocytosis rate, enhancement of the activity was slightly observed by treatments with CAM and RKM, in the 12th week, but there was no significant difference. An inhibitory tendency was observed by treatments with the other drugs, but there was no significant difference. In terms of phagocytic index, a tendency for enhanced activity was observed with EM alone, but there was no significant difference. An inhibitory tendency was observed by treatments with the other drugs, but there was no significant difference.
