Effect of Ceftazidime on Systemic Cytokine Concentrations in Rats

The effect of a single dose of ceftazidime on circulating concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in a rat model of sepsis was studied. IL-6 concentrations were significantly elevated (100 to 200 times the baseline) 6 h after ceftazidime administration in both septic and nonseptic (control) rats. TNF-α concentrations increased significantly in nonseptic (∼40 times the baseline) rats but not septic (∼2 to 3 times the baseline) rats. Ceftazidime administration was not associated with an increase in endotoxin concentrations. These findings suggest that ceftazidime modulation of proinflammatory cytokine concentrations may be independent of its antimicrobial properties.

本研究探讨了单次给药头孢他啶（ceftazidime）对脓毒症大鼠模型中循环白细胞介素-6（interleukin-6, IL-6）及肿瘤坏死因子α（tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF-α）浓度的影响。在脓毒症大鼠与非脓毒症（对照）大鼠中，头孢他啶给药后6小时，IL-6浓度均显著升高，为基线水平的100至200倍。非脓毒症大鼠的TNF-α浓度显著升高（约为基线水平的40倍），但脓毒症大鼠的TNF-α浓度无显著升高，仅为基线水平的2至3倍。头孢他啶给药并未伴随内毒素（endotoxin）浓度的升高。上述研究结果表明，头孢他啶对促炎细胞因子（proinflammatory cytokine）浓度的调控作用可能独立于其抗菌活性。