A. Dambrosio et al., THE MODULATORY EFFECT OF DILTIAZEM ON HUMAN IN-VITRO ALLOREACTIVITY WHEN USED ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH CYCLOSPORINE-A AND OR METHYLPREDNISOLONE/, Transplant international, 10(6), 1997, pp. 426-431
The calcium channel blocker diltiazem is often included in post-transp
lant regimens in combination with other immunosuppressive drugs such a
s cyclosporin A (CyA). It is primarily used because of its antinephrot
oxic and antihypertensive effects, so that undesirable side effects in
duced by the immunosuppressive therapy can be reduced. Its alleged abi
lity to induce direct immunosuppression may explain the encouraging re
sults from its clinical use and would appear to encourage a much wider
use of this drug. The present study shows the effect of diltiazem on
the human in vitro alloresponse when used alone or in combination with
cyclosporin A (CyA) and methylprednisolone (MP). The results show tha
t, when administered alone, diltiazem exerts a suppressive effect, but
only at high, non-therapeutic doses. Interestingly, in combination wi
th CyA or MP, diltiazem enhances the suppressive effect of these two d
rugs on in vitro alloresponses at lower doses. This additional effect
of diltiazem may contribute to better graft survival in clinical trans
plantation.