Suppression of the development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis by suramin.

Suramin was tested for its ability to suppress experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. Prophylactic administration caused significant reduction in the severity of the disease, incidence of paralysis and cellular infiltration in nervous tissue. Therapeutic treatment with suramin also caused a reduction in the severity of the disease, the incidence of paralysis and cellular infiltration, but to a lesser extent. Significantly fewer animals were paralysed for more than two days on therapeutic treatment.