Effects of pefloxacin on phagocytosis function of rat macrophages and polymorphonuclear leucocytes.

The influence of pefloxacin on polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) and alveolar macrophages (AM) phagocytosis and microbicidal activity was studied. Phagocytes were collected from Sprague-Dawley rats, mixed with pefloxacin at different concentrations (1, 10, 100 mg/l) and a yeast phagocytosis assay was performed. Three parameters were measured, the phagocytic capacity (number of live and dead yeast/100 cells), the phagocytic activity (number of cells containing 2 or more yeast/100 cells) and the microbicidal activity or % killed (Formula: see text) Both low and high concentrations of pefloxacin increased significantly the phagocytic capacity and activity of AM and PMN. The increase of the AM phagocytic capacity and activity seen with increasing levels of extracellular pefloxacin was not statistically significant. Pefloxacin showed no adverse effect on the microbicidal activity of AM and PMN.