Diffusion of ofloxacin into human lung tissue

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Respiratory Medicine
• Surgical Infections

Background:

• Pulmonary disorders often require surgical intervention, increasing the risk of infection.
• Effective antibiotic penetration into lung tissue is crucial for treating and preventing infections in these patients.
• Ofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic with broad-spectrum activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the penetration of ofloxacin into human pulmonary tissues.
• To determine the ratio of ofloxacin concentration in lung tissue to plasma concentration.
• To assess if ofloxacin achieves adequate concentrations in both healthy and diseased lung parenchyma.

Main Methods:

• Seventeen patients with pulmonary disorders requiring surgery received ofloxacin 200mg twice daily for 48 hours pre-operatively, with a final dose 1 hour before surgery.
• Blood samples and specimens of healthy and diseased lung tissues were collected simultaneously during surgery.
• Ofloxacin concentrations in plasma and tissue samples were quantified using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Main Results:

• The mean tissue concentration/plasma concentration ratio for ofloxacin was 3.5 ± 0.4 in healthy lung tissue.
• The mean tissue concentration/plasma concentration ratio for ofloxacin was 3.9 ± 0.4 in diseased lung tissue (atelectasis).
• These ratios indicate substantial penetration of ofloxacin into both healthy and diseased pulmonary parenchyma.

Conclusions:

• Ofloxacin demonstrates excellent penetration into human lung tissue, including areas of atelectasis.
• The drug achieves concentrations in lung tissue significantly higher than in plasma.
• These findings support the use of ofloxacin for treating or preventing infections in patients with pulmonary disorders undergoing surgery.