title: Effects of acetyl-L-carnitine oral administration on lymphocyte antibacterial activity and TNF-alpha levels in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. A randomized double blind versus placebo study.
abstract: Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), a drug for the treatment of ageing-related neuroendocrine dysfunctions, was orally administered--2 gm/day for 30 days--to 10 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TBC). Lymphocyte-mediated antibacterial activity and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were evaluated before and after treatment, comparing the values with those of 10 TBC patients receiving placebo. Results show that by day 30, antibacterial activity remained unmodified or increased in ALC-treated subjects, while decreased in the placebo group. No influence of ALC on TNF-alpha levels was detectable. These data suggest that the host's immune responses to M. tuberculosis infection can be selectively modulated by drugs acting on the neuroendocrine axis.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Immunologia, Università di Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jirillo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altamura
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Munno
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Pellegrino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sabato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Fabio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Simone
mesh_terms: D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000108:Acetylcarnitine