FIG. 3.

Erythromycin infusion inhibits the production of TNF and IL-6. Six healthy volunteers each received a 30-min intravenous infusion of 1,000 mg of erythromycin in 250 ml of 0.9% NaCl (hatched bar). Blood was collected directly before and directly after infusion and at 1, 2, and 4 h after the end of infusion. Whole blood diluted 1:1 in sterile RPMI 1640 was stimulated for 16 h at 37°C with HKSP (10⁷ CFU/ml). Values are expressed relative to production before infusion of erythromycin (mean ± SEs for six healthy donors). Concentrations after stimulation and before infusion of erythromycin (set at 100%) were 18.4 ± 1.7 ng/ml for TNF and 165.8 ± 24.4 ng/ml for IL-6. ∗, P < 0.05 versus value obtained before infusion of erythromycin.