The pharmacokinetics of co-trimoxazole in serum, bronchoalveolar lavage-fluid (BAL-fluid) and alveolar macrophages (AM) of guinea pigs receiving sulphamethoxazole (100 mg/kg) and trimethoprim (20 mg/kg) were studied. HPLC showed that peak co-trimoxazole levels were obtained in serum at 30 min, in BAL-fluid at 1 h and in AM at 3 h. A comparison between mean concentrations in serum, BAL-fluid and AM showed a six-fold higher concentration of trimethoprim in cells than in serum, but only 0.25-fold of sulphamethoxazole. The BAL-fluid/serum ratio was four to ten times higher for trimethoprim than for sulphamethoxazole (0.6-to-one-fold). Sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim ratios (30 min, 1 and 3 h) were lower in BAL-fluid (4.9 +/- 0.5) and in AM (1.4 +/- 0.5) than in serum (30.7 +/- 1.6). The influence of co-trimoxazole in vitro on microbicidal capacities (superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide generations), immunoregulation (production of interleukin 1) and pro-inflammatory agent production (tumour necrosis factor) of guinea pigs' AM was also studied. No significant effect of co-trimoxazole on superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide generations, or on interleukin 1 and TNF production, was demonstrable.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.