Table I.
Lack of effect of thioridazine on local bacterial invasion and cutaneous damage after epicutaneous inoculation of 107 S. aureus onto flank skin of mice. Values represent the mean±SE percentage of microscopic fields with the indicated characteristics in control and thioridazine-treated mice. The latter were given 10 mg/kg of the drug intraperitoneally 24 and 1 h before epicutaneous inoculation with S. aureus (ATCC 25923) on the flank. Values for invasion of bacteria or for presence of either neutrophils in the epidermis or absence of the latter layer were determined at 24 h after inoculation; values for dermal necrosis were determined in a separate set of animals at two days after inoculation (when this process becomes manifested). For these determinations, the epidermis was defined as the layers of keratinocytes, not counting the stratum corneum or crusts. The data were collected from 5–6 mice per point studied in 2–4 experiments. Note that thioridazine treatment did not affect cutaneous invasion by the bacteria or damage to the infected skin.
| Parameter tested | Control mice |
Thioridazine-treated mice |
|---|---|---|
| Bacteria in stratum corneum | 83.0±27.9 | 83.3±12.3 |
| Bacteria in epidermis | 54.0±27.6 | 52.2±29.5 |
| Bacteria in dermis | 29.0±25.4 | 23.3±20.0 |
| Neutrophils in epidermis | 38.1±21.8 | 39.7±23.2 |
| Epidermis absent | 10.9±16.9 | 11.2±13.9 |
| Dermal necrosis | 52.2±34.1 | 53.1±27.3 |