Assessment of the anti-inflammatory action of calcium dobesilate. Effect on macrophages attaching to subcutaneously implanted coverslips in guinea pigs.

Calcium dobesilate (Doxium) has been shown to significantly reduce the attachment of activated and quiescent macrophages to subcutaneously implanted coverslips in guinea pigs. Since the implanted coverslips represent an inflammatory stimulus and macrophages have a dominant role in inflammation it suggests that calcium dobesilate may have a pronounced anti-inflammatory action. It is speculated that calcium dobesilate may do this by reducing the number of circulating monocytes, by blocking the action of macrophage activating factors or more likely by stimulating a more rapid production of host macrophage deactivating factors such as Transforming Growth Factor (TGF) beta 1 and 2.