PRINCIPLE OF THE BARK OF PHELLODENDRON AMURENSE TO SUPPRESS THE CELLULAR IMMUNE-RESPONSE - EFFECT OF PHELLODENDRINE ON CELLULAR AND HUMORALIMMUNE-RESPONSES

Previously we have isolated the quaternary base alkaloids, magnoflorin e and phellodendrine, from Phellodendri Cortex (cortex of Phellodendro n amurense Rupr., Rutaceae) as the biologically active principles to s uppress local graft-versus-host (GvH) reactions in mice. In this paper , we focus on phellodendrine. Phellodendrine suppressed local semi-syn geneic GVH reactions and systemic allogeneic GvH reactions in X-ray ir radiated recipient mice. Phellodendrine also suppressed the induction phase of sheep red blood cell (SRBC)-induced delayed type hypersensiti vity in mice and tuberculin-induced delayed type hypersensitivity in g uinea pigs, but did not suppress the effector phase of these reactions . Surprisingly, phellodendrine, unlike prednisolone and cyclophosphami de, did not affect antibody production in mice to SRBC. Phellodendrine was expected to be a valuable new type of immunosuppressor against th e cellular immune response.