title: Inhibition of amniotic prostaglandin E release by ampicillin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of antibiotics in the prevention of preterm labor needs to be further investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ampicillin on prostaglandin E release from amnion as a possible explanation for its ability to retard preterm labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effect of the beta-lactam antibiotic ampicillin on prostaglandin E release from human amnion was tested under basal and stimulated conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ampicillin dose dependently inhibits basal prostaglandin E release from amnion in both static and dynamic conditions. In our experiments, 10(-7) mol/L ampicillin (a concentration able to significantly inhibit prostaglandin E output) leaves the microbiologic features of the medium substantially unmodified up to 5 hours of incubation. Moreover, the drug reversibly counteracts the prostaglandin E elevation induced by arachidonic acid or oxytocin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This finding (i.e., that ampicillin inhibits prostaglandin E release from amnion) may offer an explanation for a beneficial response to ampicillin therapy in the case of preterm labor even in the absence of bacterial infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and A.T., University of Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vesce
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buzzi
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ferretti
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pavan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bianciotto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jorizzo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Biondi
mesh_terms: D000650:Amnion / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D010406:Penicillins; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D010121:Oxytocin; D000667:Ampicillin