title: Effect of erythromycin on bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with bronchial asthma.
abstract: The effects of erythromycin (erythromycin stearate, Erythromycin; CAS 643-22-1) on the bronchial hyperresponsiveness and the functions of lymphocytes and neutrophils were evaluated. Administration of erythromycin to asthmatic patients in a dosage of 600 mg/d for 10 weeks reduced the bronchial hyperresponsiveness measured by histamine inhalation test. Furthermore, incubation with erythromycin for 96 h inhibited the mixed lymphocyte reaction at the concentration of more than 10 mumol/l in a dose-dependent manner, and the value of IC50 was about 30 mumol/l. 2-h incubation with erythromycin showed a weak inhibition to n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-induced superoxide production of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) at the concentration of more than 30 mumol/l in a dose-dependent manner. 1-h incubation with 1 mumol/l and 100 mumol/l of erythromycin inhibited FMLP-induced chemotaxis of PMNs. The rates of inhibition at the concentration of 1 mumol/l and 100 mumol/l were 29.7% and 41.7%, respectively. Erythromycin thus showed a beneficial effect on bronchial hyperresponsiveness. This effect might be due to the regulation of the inflammatory cells.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miyatake
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000187:drug effects; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013481:Superoxides; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D004917:Erythromycin; D006632:Histamine