Ability of teicoplanin and vancomycin to induce contraction of, and histamine release from, pulmonary tissue of humans, monkeys and guinea pigs.

To assess the safety of teicoplanin and vancomycin with respect to airway tissue, we evaluated whether these two antibiotics induce pulmonary tissue contraction and histamine release in human, monkey and guinea pig specimens in vitro. The effects of these drugs on the release of histamine from monkey blood leucocytes and mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) were also studied. Neither teicoplanin nor vancomycin (10(-6)-10(-3) g/mL) induced contractions of guinea pig trachea or lung parenchyma. Similarly, these drugs induced no appreciable change in the resting tonus of cynomolgus monkey bronchus or lung parenchyma. The tonus of monkey trachea was not influenced by teicoplanin, whereas 10(-3) g/mL vancomycin caused contraction. The spontaneous tonus of human lung parenchyma was not altered by teicoplanin or vancomycin, and that of the bronchus was not influenced by teicoplanin; however, 10(-3) g/mL vancomycin elicited obvious contraction of the bronchus. Neither drug promoted the release of significant amounts of histamine from these pulmonary tissues or from monkey blood leucocytes and BMMC. These results suggest that, compared with vancomycin, teicoplanin may be associated with a lower risk of inducing bronchospasm when used for inhalation therapy.