[Levamisole, a chemically defined substance with immunostimulating potential--a review].

In contrast to immunosuppression, immunostimulation is still at an early stage of development. Levamisole is the first chemically defined substance with immunostimulating potential which can be applied systemically. After a short consideration of the chemistry and pharmacology of Levamisole, its effect in different animal experimental models of humoral and cell-mediated immunity are discussed in detail. Moreover, the following review deals with the influence of Levamisole on several immunological parameters in man. Finally, the therapeutical results achieved up to now by different clinical indications are reported.