Nehal Afifi
Head of Pharmacology Department Cairo University Egypt
Biography:
Professor Nehal Afifi has worked at Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University from 1997 till now and Head of Pharmacology Department from 2009 to till now Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, 1992. Lecturer, of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 1987. Assistant Lecturer of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 1985. Demonstrator at Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 1981. She is a member of American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) and member of the scientific committee for Veterinary Drugs Registration, Ministry of Health, Central Administration for Pharmaceutical Affairs.
Abstract:
Macrolide antibiotics, including azithromycin, have been involved in the modulation of host immune response,independently of their antimicrobial properties. Macrolides inhibit the production of various cytokines and the migration of inflammatory cells. These antiinflammatory actions may be beneficial in attenuating inflammatory process involved in bacterial sepsis. Therefore, we investigated the ability of azithromycin to attenuate the deleterious effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This study was designed to determine the effect of azithromycin on proinflammatory cytokines ((TNFα , IL-6 and IL1β ) in healthy and lipopolysaccharide – treated mice. Moreover, to investigate the effect of that azithromycin on protective humoral immune responses induced by a 7-valent, polysaccharide, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) by determination of (IgG) and (IgM). Our results show that Oral administration of azithromycin (10 and 100 mg/kg) 30 minutes prior to lipopolysaccharide injection causing significantly decrease in total leucocytic count , lymphocytes %, neutrophils %,as well as significantly attenuated the LPS-induced increase in plasma( TNF-α) conc. By use of a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine(PCV7) , it was found that Oral administration of azithromycin(10 & 100mg/kg b.wt) one hour perior to vaccine causing significant decrease in immunoglobulins; (IgM) and(IgG) led to significantly lower primary antibody responses. The results demonstrate that azithromycin can be inhibitory with regard to protective immune responsiveness . In conclusion, azithromycin exhibits significant anti-inflammatory properties.