Penetrability of ofloxacin into cultured epithelial cells and macrophages.

It is well known that the penetration of drugs into host cells is the minimal requirement to exhibit their efficacy against infections with intracellular bacteria. Thus the penetrability of new quinolones including ofloxacin, norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin was evaluated by comparing their intracellular and extracellular activities by the use of cell infection systems in vitro. It was evidenced that the new quinolones tested were penetrable into both epithelial cells and macrophages, however, ofloxacin was more penetrable than norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin into both types of cells which serve the nest for proliferation of intracellular bacteria.