METHYL-ALPHA-D-MANNOPYRANOSIDE, MANNOOLIGOSACCHARIDES AND YEAST MANNANS INHIBIT DEVELOPMENT OF RAT ADJUVANT ARTHRITIS

Methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside, mannooligosaccharides obtained by acet olysis of yeast mannan, and pure mannans isolated from the cell walls of pathogenic (Candida albicans) and nonpathogenic (Saccharomyces cere visiae) yeasts were used for treatment of rat adjuvant arthritis. The arthritis was induced by the application of Freund's complete adjuvant into the tail region of rats. The mannose substances were injected in to the arthritic rats intraperitonealy at different time intervals. Le vels of serum albumin, changes in hindpaws swelling and radiographs we re measured in infected rats as variables of the inflammation and dest ructive arthritic changes. While mannan from C. albicans inhibited bot h the inflammation and destructive arthritic changes, mannan from S. c erevisiae showed less effect. However, acetolysate of S. cerevisiae ma nnan as well as simple methyl-alpha-D-mannopyranoside inhibited both i nflammation and destructive arthritic changes to a similar degree as m annan isolated from C. albicans. The effect, which is not dose depende nt indicates its possible immunoregulatory mechanism. This is the firs t time a therapeutic effect of simple carbohydrates on rat adjuvant ar thritis has been described.