Effect of levamisole on the immune status of malnourished children.
Levamisole is known to enhance an impaired immune response. Its function as an immunostimulant was assessed in malnourished children. A total of 26 children suffering from severe protein-calorie malnutrition were selected for the study. Serum immunoglobulins were estimated in these subjects and to assess cell-mediated immunity, enumeration of T lymphocytes and the lymphocyte proliferative response were carried out. The results show an increase in the cell-mediated immunity response in the levamisole-treated group, thereby suggesting that levamisole may help to speed the recovery of malnourished children suffering from various infections.
National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Jamai Osmania, Hyderabad, India. icmrnin@ren.nic.in
M S
MS
Prakash
V M
VM
Rao
V
V
Reddy
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007223:Infant; D007978:Levamisole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007978:Levamisole