| Popis: |
Castanospermine (CS) is an alkaloid isolated from the nut of the Australian chestnut tree, Castanospermum australae. It has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory effects, as evidenced by its ability to inhibit the clinical manifestations of passively induced autoimmune encephalomyelitis and passive adjuvant arthritis in rats and the efferent phase of contact hypersensitivity in mice. The purpose of this study was to determine if CS has immunosuppressive, as well as anti-inflammatory, properties. Contact hypersensitivity in mice to picryl chloride was chosen as the in vitro model of cell mediated immune reactivity. Mice were sensitised with picryl chloride and treated with CS, at doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg/day, twice daily for seven days, beginning at the time of sensitisation. Passive transfer of spleen cells from treated animals transferred significantly less contact hypersensitivity (P |
