Combined Therapy of Teicoplanin and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) in the Treatment of Experimental Mediastinitis in the Rat

AbstractPost-sternotomy mediastinitis affects 1-3% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery and is lethal in 10-47% of these patients.We investigated the effect of an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory agent, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), in the attenuation of inflammatory response induced by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in a rat experimental mediastinitis model. Rats, divided into six equal groups, received MRSA precolonized stainless steel wire pieces implanted into their mediastinal spaces. Control group and CAPE control group received saline and CAPE 10 μmol/kg.day−1 respectively, where Group A received a single dose of teicoplanin 24 mg/kg i.m. for the first day and then 12 mg/kg.day−1. Group B received teicoplanin as in Group A plus CAPE 10 μmol/kg. day−1 intra-peritoneally. Group C received teicoplanin 60 mg/kg i.m. for the first day and then 30 mg/kg.day−1 and Group D received teicoplanin as in Group C plus CAPE 10 μmol/kg.day−1. By the end of 14 days rats were sacr...