Doxycycline is anti-inflammatory and inhibits staphylococcal exotoxin-induced cytokines and chemokines.

Proinflammatory cytokines mediate the toxic effect of superantigenic staphylococcal exotoxins (SE). Doxycycline inhibited SE-stimulated T-cell proliferation and production of cytokines and chemokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results suggest that the antibiotic doxycycline has anti-inflammatory effects and is therapeutically useful for mitigating the pathogenic effects of SE.