A LOW-DOSE IMMUNORESTORATIVE EFFECT OF APORPHINOID ALKALOID OXOGLAUCINE ON EXPERIMENTALLY IMMUNOSUPPRESSED AND INFECTED MICE

The immunoregulatory activity of aporphinoid alkaloid oxoglaucine was studied in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction and Klebsiella pneumoniae infection in normal and immunosuppressed mice. The alkaloi d enhanced DTH reaction when applied during the developing phase and a bolished the inhibitory action of cyclophosphamide. Oxoglaucine posses sed a restorative effect in K. pneumoniae infection in immunosuppresse d mice in combination with indomethacin, prednisolone or artemisinin, as evaluated by the number of survivors and mean survival time. These data suggest that oxoglaucine affects selected lymphocyte clones respo nsible for antiinfectious host resistance. Its use as a second agent i n combination with another immunosuppressant might enable reduction in the dosage or time of application.