Dimethyl sulfoxide does not suppress the clinical manifestations of collagen arthritis.

Parenteral administration of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) to rats did not diminish the incidence or severity of collagen arthritis compared to groups receiving either saline injections or no injections. In contrast, hemagglutinating antibody responses to collagen were significantly (p less than 0.0001) decreased in the DMSO group. Delayed-type hypersensitivity responses to collagen were similar in the 3 groups. These data extend the previous finding that DMSO can decrease antireceptor antibody titers in experimental myasthenia gravis in rats.