In vitro and ex vivo enhancement of nonspecific phagocytosis by cefodizime

The in vitro and ex vivo effects of cefodizime on some functional activities of both human neutrophils and monocytes were studied. In vitro experiments were performed with antibiotic concentrations ranging from 1 to 200 μg/ml. For the ex vivo study, 7 adult healthy controls were treated intravenously with 4 g/day of cefodizime for 6 days. We found that the drug modulated phagocytosis frequency and index when nonopsonized zymosan and heat-killed Candida albicans were used as phagocytic challenge both in vitro (from 25 μg/ml) and ex vivo 12 h after the last administration of cefodizime. No effect on the other phagocyte functional parameters was shown. The in vitro enhancement of nonspecific phagocytosis was demonstrated both in the presence of cefodizime and when phagocytes and particles were separately incubated with the drug.