INFLUENCE OF BRODIMOPRIM ON POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE PHAGOCYTOSIS AND OXIDANT RADICAL PRODUCTION

Antibiotics not only reach the site of infection, but also penetrate c yclically, during a treatment, into polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs ) and may influence their functions positively or negatively. With ref erence to these aspects, the influence of brodimoprim (BMP), a dimetho xybenzylpyrimidine recently entered into clinical use, on human PMN ph agocytosis and oxidant radical production (chemiluminescence) was inve stigated. PMNs from healthy adult donors were incubated for 50 min in medium alone or in medium containing increasing concentrations (3.7, 7 .5, 15, and 30 mu g/ml) of BMP and trimethoprim (TMP). In unwashed PMN s, phagocytosis was not modified by BMP, but was significantly reduced by 30 mu g/ml TMP; chemiluminescence was significantly reduced by 15 and 30 mu g/ml BMP and by all concentrations of TMP. When PMNs were wa shed after incubation, phagocytosis was unaffected and chemiluminescen ce was significantly restored. BMP at therapeutic concentrations did n ot influence PMNs and was less toxic than TMP.