ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cephalosporin antibiotic ceftriaxone (50 mg/kg, i/m) and mac- rolide antibiotic azithromycin (15 mg/kg, per.os.) on net water transport across rat colonic epithelium. Study was done on male Wistar rats (180-250 g). Azithromycin or ceftriaxone was injected daily for 5 days. Net water transport was evaluated on the 6th day by isolated colonic loop perfusion technique in vivo on anaesthetized rats. Treatment with azithromycin increased 2,4-fold the absorption of water, while ceftriaxone caused decrease 1,9-fold water absorption. The antibiotics treatment within five days didn't change the composition of the fecal and colonic parietal microbiota. Azithromycin-induced increase in water absorption was associated with upregulation of AQP 8 water channel expression (P < 0.05) in colonic mucosa. Ceftriaxone treatment didn't change protein level of AQP8 but induced pro-inflammatory changes in colonic mucosa structure and mast cells degranulation. We showed for the first time the opposite effects ofmacrolide and cephalosporin antibiotics on net water transport across rat colonic epithelium.
