Amelioration of experimental allergic neuritis by sodium fusidate (fusidin): Suppression of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha and enhancement of IL-10

The immunomodulating antibiotic drug fusidic acid and its sodium salt sodiu m fusidate (fusidin) ameliorate several organ-specific immunoinflammatory d iseases. Because preliminary observations suggest that fusidin may also exe rt a beneficial effect in Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), here we have studi ed the effects of fusidin on actively induced experimental autoimmune neuri tis (EAN) in rats, a known animal model for GBS. Both prophylactic and ther apeutic treatment with fusidin (4 mg/rat day ip) markedly ameliorated the c linical course of the disease compared to vehicle-treated animals. The bene ficial effects were associated with profound modifications of the capacity of these rats to produce and release pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines s uch as IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-10, which are important in regulating th e development of EAN. (C) 1999 Academic Press.