Immunopharmacological activity of aporphinoid alkaloid oxoglaucine.

The ability of aporphinoid alkaloid oxoglaucine to influence T- and B-cell immune response was studied in mice models. The substance inhibited in vitro mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and suppressed antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo effectively. The action depended on the relative timing of antigen and oxoglaucine administration. The substance manifested stimulatory effect in popliteal lymph node (PLN) reaction and LPS-induced B-cell activation. In the chronic inflammatory model of adjuvant arthritis oxoglaucine exhibited stimulatory or suppressive action related to the kinetics of the process. At low doses (1 or 2 mg kg-1) oxoglaucine improved the outcome of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection, while at higher doses (10 or 20 mg kg-1) the substance caused an impairment of host resistance to infectious agent. The comparison with cyclophosphamide in some tests showed that oxoglaucine was effective in manifold lower doses. In conclusion, oxoglaucine exerted immunomodulatory effects in vivo in a dose-dependent and protocol-dependent manner. Yet, its overall action might be attributed to the different sensitivity of the cells involved in the developing immune response.