Efficacy of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii for rat tracheal allografts.
BACKGROUND
A new immunosuppressant must be developed because graft rejection remains the leading cause of death after lung transplantation. We evaluated the efficacy of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii as a new immunosuppressant using a heterotopic rat tracheal allotransplantation model.


METHODS
We performed short- and long-term experiments using a short-course of treatment with Multiglycosidorum tripterygii. To assess the immunosuppessive power of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii, we compared its efficacy (at 90, or 150 mg/kg/day) with that of tacrolimus (at 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/kg/day) at 4 weeks after transplantation. We then evaluated the effect of 150 mg/kg/day of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii treatment at 12 weeks after transplantation.


RESULTS
The efficacy of 150 mg/kg/day Multiglycosidorum tripterygii was superior to that of 90 mg/kg/day of the same drug and was comparable to that of 1.0 mg/kg/day tacrolimus, as demonstrated by morphologic assessment of the graft. Treatment with 150 mg/kg/day Multiglycosidorum tripterygii maintained graft morphology for 4 weeks but could not maintain graft viability for 12 weeks. Animals tolerated this dosage of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii for 12 weeks after administration.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the efficacy of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii is acceptable for rat tracheal allografts. Further studies are necessary to investigate Multiglycosidorum tripterygii treatment for clinical use in humans.
Nakanishi
Ryoichi
R
Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan. ryoichi@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Yasumoto
Kosei
K
D000818:Animals; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D014132:Trachea / Q000637:transplantation*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016559:Tacrolimus