TETRANDRINE POTENTLY INHIBITS HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS TYPE-1-INDUCED KERATITIS IN BALB C MICE/

This study investigated the effect of tetrandrine (TDR) on experimenta l herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) in mice. BALB/c mice were divided as follows: Group 1, untreated; Group 2, acyclovir (ACV)-treated from day 0 postinfection; Group 3, ACV-treated from day 7; Group 4, TDR-treate d from day 0, and Group 5, TDR-treated from day 7. All mice were infec ted in the right cornea with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type I. TDR 30 mg/kg and ACV 120 mg/kg were administered intraperitoneally daily. Th e mice were observed for 14 days postinfection. Clinical inflammatory reactions and ocular histopathology were analysed. The herpes specific antibody response and the delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) respons e were studied. Of the 22 untreated mice, 16 developed HSK (incidence, 72.7%). TDR given from day 7 reduced the HSK incidence to 8.5% (p<0.0 1); the incidence of HSK was 45.4% in mice treated with TDR from day 0 (p>0.05>, Systemic ACV given from day 0 inhibited HSK development (p< 0.01); ACV given from day 7 resulted in an HSK incidence of 50% (p>0.0 5). The specific anti-HSV antibody response in the serum of mice treat ed with TDR or ACV either from day 0 or day 7 was significantly less t han that of untreated mice (p<0.01 and p<0.05, respectively), and TDR treatment suppressed DTH responses to HSV (p<0.05). Systemic TDR admin istered after HSV inoculation of the cornea significantly modulates mu rine HSK development at least partly by modifying the host immune/infl ammatory response to the virus.