Immunopharmacology of antibiotics: direct and indirect immunomodulation of defence mechanisms

Journal of Chemotherapy
J M Hamilton-Miller

Abstract

Antibiotics can alter the host's reaction to an infection (itself an immunomodulating event) in various ways. Indirect actions involve killing of bacteria, changing the intestinal flora, intrinsic antigenicity and preventing bacteria making virulence factors. Direct actions are upon phagocytic function, chemotaxis and lymphocyte activities. Immunomodulation can be positive ("pro-host") or negative, and can be quantitated by means of the parameter "immune index". Among the cephalosporins, cefodizime shows the greatest positive immunomodulating activity, due to the unique nature of the 3-sidechain. Cefotaxime has an immunodepressing effect in vitro. The oral cephalosporin cefaclor appears to have a beneficial effect on polymorph function. While immunomodulation by antibiotics may appear marked in in vitro and ex vivo experiments, and in animal models, this phenomenon does not appear to have decisive effects therapeutically.

References

Jun 1, 1993·Immunology Today·J W Hadden, T Kishimoto
Jul 1, 1996·Infection·B Van VlemS Ringoir
Aug 4, 1998·Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy·K RiesbeckA Bredberg

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Citations

Aug 31, 2004·Journal of Chemotherapy·F M MacKenzieI M Gould
Oct 23, 2016·Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology : Official Journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology·Vajara WilairatanaNoppachart Limpaphayom
May 15, 2012·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·Fatemeh PourrajabSeyed Ahmad Tabatabaee
Mar 2, 2005·International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents·Magdalena LeivaMaria Jimenez-Valera
Oct 22, 2005·The Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy·Bernadette M BrooksJohn W Coleman
Jul 4, 2003·European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology·Filippo Cremonini, Antonio Gasbarrini
Dec 9, 2003·International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents·Maria Jimenez-ValeraAlfonso Ruiz-Bravo

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