[Effect of erythromycin and phosphomycin on the ingestion and destruction capacity of the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte].

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the uptake and intracellular destruction capacity of the human neutrophil. Human neutrophils from healthy individuals not receiving any therapy were incubated during 15, 90 and 180 minutes with the minimal, intermediate and maximal doses achieved in serum during treatment with therapeutic doses of these antibiotics (3, 6.45 and 9.9 micrograms/ml of erythromycin and 30, 45 and 60 micrograms/ml of phosphomycin). After this incubation, the uptake capacity and the intracellular destruction capacity of Candida guillermondii by neutrophils was assessed. Both erythromycin and phosphomycin maintained the baseline levels of both capacities in all the incubations evaluated. In addition, during the incubation with maximal dose erythromycin (15 min) a stimulatory tendency of the uptake and intracellular destruction capacity was observed.