Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus with bromocriptine.
Prolactin, a lactogenic hormone, is a cytokine and an important link between the immune and endocrine systems. Prolactin stimulated disease in autoimmune NZB/NZW mice. Treatment of the mice with the prolactin-lowering dopamine agonist, bromocriptine, suppressed anti-DNA and prolonged life spans. These findings have been applied to humans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). An open-label study, a double blind study, and a study comparing bromocriptine to hydroxychloroquine provided evidence that bromocriptine therapy reduced flares and suppressed disease activity in SLE.
Walker
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Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA. sewk@tranquility.net
D000818:Animals; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*
D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D001971:Bromocriptine