inosine-pranobex and Respiratory-Tract-Infections

Isoprinosine, an in vitro immuno-enhancing agent principally acting by stimulating T-lymphocytes, is one of a number of agents sometimes used in an attempt to prevent recurrent respiratory infections in children, although there are no formal trials for this particular drug. We performed a placebo-controlled double-blind trial to assess the efficacy of isoprinosine (50 mg/kg per day) for 6 weeks followed by 50 mg/kg per day twice weekly for 6 weeks in the prevention of frequent acute respiratory tract infections in 102 children aged 4-8 years. A total of 43 children treated with isoprinosine and 41 with placebo finished the study. Despite a transient increase in the total number of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes after 6 weeks of daily isoprinosine treatment, there was no difference in the number and length of duration of acute respiratory infections, number of antibiotic courses and number of days with cough, pharyngitis, rhinitis and increased body temperature (> or = 37.0 degrees C and > or = 38.0 degrees C). There were no changes in markers of T- or B-lymphocyte activation (CD25, HLA-DR, CD45RA/RO, CD23).. Attempts at immunomodulation using isoprinosine in the dose and for the duration used may increase the total numbers of both CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocytes but is ineffective in prevention of respiratory tract infections in childhood.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adjuvants, Immunologic; Child; Child, Preschool; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Immunophenotyping; Inosine Pranobex; Lymphocyte Subsets; Male; Recurrence; Respiratory Tract Infections

Experiments to characterize the effects of two immunomodulators, namely, isoprinosine and levamisole, on factors relevant to the resistance of calves to respiratory infection were undertaken. Daily oral doses of isoprinosine decreased the influx of neutrophils into the respiratory tract, increased membrane immunoglobulin and complement receptor expression on cells from bronchoalveolar lavage samples and decreased the severity of respiratory disease. Additional intravenous doses produced similar effects on neutrophil migration to the respiratory tract and on membrane receptor expression, but the changes were no greater than those seen with oral isoprinosine alone. No significant changes in the anti-bacterial activity of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage samples followed isoprinosine treatment. In vitro incubation of pulmonary alveolar macrophages harvested from normal calves with isoprinosine increased their expression of immunoglobulin and complement receptors. Levamisole did not affect neutrophil migration to the lower respiratory tract or membrane receptor expression by pulmonary alveolar macrophages after in vivo or in vitro treatment. The immunomodulatory effects of isoprinosine beneficially increase the resistance of calves to respiratory disease, and are potentially useful in the control of infectious diseases of farm animals.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Cattle; Cattle Diseases; Cell Count; Dexamethasone; Injections, Intravenous; Inosine Pranobex; Levamisole; Macrophages; Neutrophils; Phagocytosis; Receptors, Complement; Receptors, Fc; Respiration; Respiratory Tract Infections; Rosette Formation

In 27 children, 4-8 years old, with recurrent respiratory infections of the upper and lower respiratory tracts Isoprinosine (ISO) tablets were administered for 7-10 days at daily doses of 50-100 mg/kg. Clinical signs of acute respiratory disease, including temperature abnormalities and subjective complaints, subsided in a short time and the children showed no symptoms for periods ranging from several weeks to several months following the therapy. The children were selected for immunotherapy with ISO on the basis of their low levels of E-rosette forming cells in peripheral blood. Several immune function parameters assessed immediately after treatment with ISO and compared with those obtained before illness and ISO administration. Low levels of T-lymphocytes returned to normal after ISO therapy, B-lymphocyte relative and absolute numbers, however, were not affected by the treatment. Nor were any changes due to ISO found in immunoglobulins, complement components, beta 2-microglobulin and C-reactive protein. Moreover, ISO had no stimulative effect on spontaneous tetrazolium reductase activity of granulocytes but it showed a slight inhibition of their phagocytosis-associated metabolic activity.

Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Granulocytes; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Inosine; Inosine Pranobex; Leukocyte Count; Lymphocytes; Male; Recurrence; Respiratory Tract Infections

Topics: Aged; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Inosine; Inosine Pranobex; Male; Respiratory Tract Infections; Urinary Tract Infections

Topics: Gastroenteritis; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Newborn, Diseases; Infections; Inosine; Inosine Pranobex; Osteitis; Respiratory Tract Infections; Sepsis; Urinary Tract Infections; Virus Diseases

Many drugs are know to be capable to interfering with viral multiplication. Upon clinical testing, however, only some of these appear to possess sufficient therapeutic effectiveness to recommend their use. The action mechanism of these, their possible side effects, the data proving their effectiveness and the main unsolved problems for their use are analysed.

Topics: Amantadine; Antiviral Agents; Cytarabine; Humans; Immunoglobulin A; Inosine Pranobex; Interferons; Levamisole; Respiratory Tract Infections; Thymus Hormones; Vidarabine; Virus Diseases