Title:Evaluation of Dose-dependent Interactions of Antibiotics using
RBC Membrane Model Systems
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Author(s): Sriharini S., Sugantha Bharathy S. and Stalin Selvaraj*
Affiliation:
- Centre for Nanotechnology and Advanced Biomaterials (CeNTAB), School of Chemical & Biotechnology,
SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur, 613 401, India
Keywords:
Antibiotics, RBC membrane model systems, hypotonic hemolysis assay, membrane localization, chikungunya, dengue.
Abstract:
Background: The present study aims to understand the membrane interactions
of three different antibiotics widely used for non-specific viral diseases.
Methods: The dose-dependent membrane interactions of the selected antibiotics were elucidated
using octanol: water partition coefficient and hemolysis assay.
Results: Our octanol: water partition coefficient experiments indicated that among the
three antibiotics (Azithromycin, Erythromycin, and Amoxicillin), azithromycin and erythromycin
were more hydrophobic compared to amoxicillin. This finding also correlated
with hypotonic hemolysis assay experiments where the membrane stabilization effects of
both azithromycin and erythromycin were reduced in a dose-dependent manner compared
to amoxicillin.
Conclusion: This may be attributed to the hydrophobic nature of azithromycin, and erythromycin
penetrates deeper into the RBC membrane to the extent of the hydrophobic core
compared to amoxicillin. The result is also concurrent with the observations from the hemolysis
assay in the isotonic conditions. To conclude, among the three antibiotics,
azithromycin, erythromycin localized on the hydrophobic core of the lipid membrane, and
amoxicillin localized on the outer surface and slight penetration to the outer leaflet of the
membrane.
