A method to assess the immunomodulating effects of the Tołpa Torf Preparation (TTP) by measuring the hyporeactivity to interferon induction and tumor necrosis factor response.

Tołpa Torf Preparation (TTP) is an immunomodulator which was found to be interferon (IFN) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inducer in human peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL). PBL cultures prepared from the blood of healthy volunteers taking 5 mg TTP tablet daily loose ability to respond to IFN induction by TTP, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The phenomenon of hyporeactivity or tolerance is characteristic of every IFN inducer described so far. In the TTP treated volunteers the tolerance developed during three weeks and it lasted one to two weeks. In comparison with the tolerance to the IFN induction the hyporeactivity to TNF induction developed slowly and it was only partial. Because the detection of the tolerance to IFN induction is a very sensitive indicator of TTP activity in vivo in patients taking the drug orally, we suggest that it may be applied to assess the mode of action, dosage and schedule of administration of the IFN-inducing immunomodulator.