Antitumor effect of forphenicinol, a low molecular weight immunomodifier, on murine transplantable tumors and microbial infections.

The antitumor activities of forphenicinol against murine transplantable tumors were examined. Ehrlich carcinoma was suppressed by treatment with 0.08 approximately 0.31 mg/kg/day of forphenicinol given for 10 days starting 5 days after tumor inoculation. IMC carcinoma was also suppressed by treatment with 0.5 approximately 5 mg/kg/day given for 5 days starting 8 days after the inoculation. The antitumor activity was dependent on the number of tumor cells inoculated, schedule of administration and dose. However, even in case of fast growing tumors such as L1210 and inoculation with a large number of tumor cells, forphenicinol markedly enhanced the antitumor effect of 6-mercaptopurine, aclacinomycin and cyclophosphamide. Forphenicinol showed a protective effect on Pseudomonas infection in mice.