Effects of drugs on the pyrogenicity of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 and its capacity to enhance susceptibility to the lethal effects of endotoxic shock in rabbits.

The effects of various kinds of drugs on the pyrogenicity of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) and its capacity to enhance the lethal effects of endotoxin in rabbits were studied. Antipyretic agents--including aspirin, aminopyrine, and indomethacin--that were given immediately or 2 hours after injection of TSST-1 decreased the febrile response to TSST-1 but did not inhibit the enhancement of lethality. Cyclosporine, which was given 2 hours after injection of TSST-1, suppressed the fever but did not inhibit the lethal effects. Methylprednisolone given immediately or 2 hours after TSST-1 injection did not decrease the fever but inhibited the lethal effect. Of the agents phentolamine, dopamine, and chlorpromazine, which are reported to suppress endotoxic shock experimentally, only chlorpromazine decreased the fever, and none inhibited the lethal effects.