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Abstract
Asthma affects nearly 155 million individuals worldwide.
Corticosteroids are so far considered the most potent and consistently
effective long-term control medications for all grades of asthma.
Unfortunately, their adverse effects and resistance represent considerable
draw backs. In the search for new potential drugs for asthma, macrolides
including azithromycin could offer an additional advantage. Aim of this
study was to assess the possible anti-inflammatory role of azithromycin (on
airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) & inflammatory cells of bronchoalveolar
lavage fluid (BALF)) in ovalbumin induced chronic model of bronchial
asthma in guinea pigs together with its suggested corticosteroid sparing
effect. Another possible advantage was the possible tracheal relaxant effect
of azithromycin. Results: azithromycin resulted in a significant reduction in
AHR, total leucocytic count and eosinophils’ % & neutrophils’ % of the
BALF. Aziththromycin could offer a corticosteroid sparing effect. Also,
aziththromycin had a smooth muscle relaxant effect on non sensitized
guinea pigs’ isolated tracheal spiral strip. from this we can conclude that
low-dose, long term therapy with azithromycin could be of beneficial value
in the treatment of bronchial asthma attributed to its anti-inflammatory,
corticosteroid sparing effects as well as its possible relaxant effect on the
tracheal smooth muscles.