title: Tetrandrine, a plant alkaloid, inhibits the production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (cachectin) hy human monocytes.
abstract: Human mononuclear leucocytes (MNL) or the adherent fraction (monocytes) produced tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) (by ELISA) in culture when stimulated with killed Staphylococcus aureus. The bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, tetrandrine inhibited the capacity of MNL and monocytes to produce TNF-alpha at a concentration range of 0.1 to 5 micrograms/ml. Tetrandrine may be potentially useful in the treatment of inflammatory diseases in which TNF-alpha plays a major role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Adelaide Children's Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrante
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Seow
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rowan-Kelly
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Thong
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D044182:Benzylisoquinolines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C009438:tetrandrine