Study of evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity of macrolide antibiotics in rats: an experimental study.

ABSTRACT

Background: Inflammation is a complex and dynamic condition in which many changes take place at the site of inflammation, as well as systemically. In general, inflammatory response acts to protect the host, but many times it goes unchecked with tissue destruction leading to a spectrum of inflammatory disorders. Antiinflammatory drugs have long been used to treat spectrum of inflammatory conditions. Anti-inflammatory agents, in use today, though have efficacy, cause a variety of side effects causing major problems during their clinical use. Amongst newer approaches to treat inflammation, macrolides, the anti-bacterial agents, seem to be beneficial in decreasing the inflammation. Still there is much speculation about the antiinflammatory activity of macrolide antibiotics. So, we planned this study to assess anti-inflammatory activity of macrolide antibiotics (erythromycin, roxithromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin) and to compare their anti-inflammatory activity with control and indomethacin (standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Methods: To assess anti-inflammatory activity of macrolides, we used acute (carrageenin-induced paw edema and turpentine oil-induced arthritis), as well as chronic model of inflammation (cotton pellet induced granuloma). Results: All the macrolides, i.e., erythromycin, roxithromycin, azithromycin and clarithromycin showed significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity in acute models of inflammation as compared to control group. However, macrolides showed insignificant activity as compared to indomethacin (acute and chronic models of inflammation) and as compared to control (chronic model of inflammation). Conclusions: This study shows macrolide antibiotics have anti-inflammatory activity in animal models of acute inflammation.