Immunoregulatory drugs

Luhrmann, R. (1998). The mammalian homologue of Prpl6p is overexpressed in a cell line tolerant to Leflunomide, a new immunoregulatory drug effective against rheumatoid arthritis. RNA 4, 1007-1018. 

Stein CM. Immunoregulatory drugs. In Ruddy S, Harris ED, Sledge CB, eds. Kelley s Textbook of Rheumatology, 6th ed. Philadelphia, Saunders, 2001 879-898. 

Some of these agents have more than one action, For example, sirolimus is antiproliferative, but also carries antiinflammatory properties and possesses immunoregulatory functions. Similarly, cilastozole has antiplatelet activity, but also inhibits SMC migration and directly inhibits intimal proliferation. Table 2 lists the drugs that have shown positive results in clinical trials and their mechanisms of action. 

The immune system is subject to modulation by a number of environmental cues including, but not limited to, microbial infections, toxic agents, stress, drugs and trauma. Endogenous immunoregulatory factors include those produced by the nervous and endocrine systems. This chapter discusses how these factors, as well as drugs targeting the immune, autonomic and central nervous systems, affect the immune system. 

Based on the short overview of the known animal models relevant to autoimmune diseases, it is quite clear the task of hazard identification and risk assessment for potential drug-induced autoimmunity is presently very difficult. There is no single in vivo model that can be used routinely to evaluate new drugs for autoimmunity induction. Nevertheless, some of the models could possibly be applied to test therapeutics with specific properties (e.g., off-target immunoregulatory activity) and concerns (e.g., patient population) in order to gain additional perspective and understanding of their role in autoimmune responses. 

Godhwani S, Godhwani JL, Vyas DS (1988) Ocimum sanctum - A preliminary study evaluating its immunoregulatory profile in albino rats. J Ethnopharmacol 24 193- 198 Sen P (1993) Therapeutic potentials of Tulsi From experiences to facts. Drugs News and Views 1(2) 15-20... 

---