In the present studies the in vivo and in vitro effects of erythromycin A and azithromycin, a new type of macrolide (Fig. 2.), were investigated upon extracellular release of lysosomal enzymes, beta-glucuronidase (beta-Gluc) and beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (beta-Glm) by using two experimental model systems: in vivo-adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats and in vitro- human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNL) exposed to bovine serum albumin/anti-bovine serum albumin (BSA/anti-BSA), immune complex. Administrations of erythromycin A or azithromycin at doses of 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg into rats one day prior and 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 days after a single subplantar injection of Freund's complete adjuvant significantly (p less than 0.01) inhibited extracellular release of lysosomal enzymes tested in the synovial fluid of injected left hind paw. These effects were dose-dependent. Further, erythromycin A and azithromycin at concentrations of 10(-7) M, 10(-6) M and 10(-5) M significantly (p less than 0.01) reduced excocytosis of both lysosomal enzymes, beta-Gluc and beta-Glm from human PMNL initiated by BSA/anti-BSA in a dose-related fashion. However, azithromycin was by far more effective (p less than 0.01) in decreasing extracellular release of beta-Gluc and beta-Glm either in the in vivo or in vitro experiments in comparison with erythromycin A. Appropriate control experiments excluded the possibilities that erythromycin A or azithromycin interfered with activities of lysosomal enzymes or with test reagents. Also, in no instances was there enhanced release of a cytoplasmic enzyme LDH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)