Non-antimicrobial activities of macrolides

While using macrolides for the treatment of infectious diseases, some non-microbiological effects have been observed. The stimulation of gastrointestinal motility, which is a common side-effect of macrolides, may be advantageous in patients with poor upper gut motility. Macrolides, as well as directly inhibiting bacterial growth, may exert immunomodulatory effects. Utilisation of these properties may be useful in the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions, especially if bacterial infection is also implicated. Preliminary evidence also suggests that the currently available macrolide antibiotics possess antitumour activity. In the future, an increased understanding of the structure-activity relationships of macrolides may result in the development of new structurally related compounds that concentrate on these pharmacological properties in addition to, or instead of, antimicrobial activity.