EFFECTS OF BRAZILIN ON THE ALTERED IMMUNE FUNCTIONS IN THE EARLY PHASE OF HALOTHANE INTOXICATION OF C57BL 6 MICE/

To investigate the effects of brazilin on the altered immune functions in the early phase of halothane intoxication in mice, several immune functions were investigated. Halothane was found to alter the immune f unctions which lead to hepatitis by autoimmune-mediated process, Based on the fact that immunomodulation at an initial step of autoimmune di seases is effective to prevent or control the diseases, in the present study the effects of brazilin on the altered immune functions in the early phase of halothane intoxication of C57BL/6 mice were investigate d. By the treatment of halothane, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and mitogen (ConA, LPS) induced proliferation of splenocytes were sign ificantly increased and suppressor cell activity and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) were decreased in C57BL/6 mice. But IgM plaque forming cells (PFCs) were not significantly changed. All the parameters tested were changed in homing patterns by the treatment with brazilin. But b razilin significantly increased IgM PFCs to higher than the normal lev el.