Investigations on the effect of antimicrobial drugs on platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo.

The influence of ten betalactam antibiotics and ten other antibiotics on platelet aggregation induced by ADP or adrenaline was investigated in vitro. In concentrations of 900 mg/l most antimicrobial drugs exerted a moderate inhibition that was not seen in concentrations of 90 mg/l that better corresponded to therapeutic levels. The influence on the platelets of a single large intravenous dose was also tested using eight antimicrobial drugs, viz. benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, piperacillin, cloxacillin, cefuroxime, cefotaxime and erythromycin. Each drug was given to five healthy volunteers but none caused any significant inhibition of platelet aggregation. The second wave of aggregation persisted after administration of the drugs and it was even seen after the administration of such a high dose as 10 g of carbenicillin.