Abstract
The effect of norfloxacin (NFLX) on the nasal ciliary activity (CA) was examined both in vitro and in vivo.
In vitro, CA was investigated by a photo-electricmethod using the C 3 H mouse nasal septum mucosa and human ethmoid mucosa, cultured in RPMI-1640 medium with NFLX.
In the medium with 40mg/L or 80mg/L NFLX, CA was neither stimulated nor affected. On the other hand, addition of 600mg/L or 1, 200mg/L of NFLX increased static CA to 117.8%-128.1 % immediately.
In vivo, saccharin test was performed before and after intranasal nebulization of 1, 200mg/L NFLX for 3 minutes for 5 healthy persons. In 4 persons, arrival time of saccharin at the oropharynx was shortened.
These results showed that NFLX less than1, 200mg/L did not affect the nasal mucosa.
NFLX has a high sensitivity for the bacteriainfecting the sinuses, such as S. aureus, S. epidermidisand M. influenzae. Therefore, NFLX aerozol therapy will be useful as one of the treatments of sinusitis
