Antibiotic-induced Paralysis of the Mouse Phrenic Nerve–Hemidiaphragm Preparation, and Reversibility by Calcium and by Neostigmine

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Abstract
The neuromuscular blocking potencies and reversibilities of 16 antibiotics in the isolated mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation were compared. The antibiotics tested were 5 aminoglycosides (neomycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin and kanamycin), tetracycline and oxytetracycline, polymyxins B and E, penicillins G and V, cephradine, cephaloridine, erythromycin, lincomycin, and clindamycin. Reversibility of the muscle paralysis by Ca and neostigmine was assessed. All the aminoglycosides resembled Mg in blocking neuromuscular transmission, the neuromuscular blockade being almost completely reversed (to 64-77% of control) by Ca but only poorly reversed by neostigmine (to 20-67% of control). Neuromuscular blockade produced by the tetracyclines was also reversed by Ca (44-104%) but not by neostigmine (0-15%). Neuromuscular blockade produced by the polymyxins or by lincomycin was only partially reversed by Ca (0-34%). Penicillin V, erythromycin, clindamycin, polymyxin B and the tetracyclines could also produce muscle paralysis by decreasing muscle contractility. This effect on contractility was irreversible by pharmacologic means. Penicillin G, cephradine and cephaloridine possessed negligible paralyzing effects on the nerve-muscle preparation. The different groups of antibiotics tested act by different mechanisms and that only the Ca-induced reversal of aminoglycoside block was predictable.

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