IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY OF THE PLANT FLAVONOID BAOHUOSIDE-1 IN MICE

The plant flavonoid baohuoside-1 (B-1), isolated from Epimedium davidii, was shown to suppress antibody and delayed-type hypersensitivity responses in mice in a dose-dependent fashion. By contrast, similar dosage schedules of B-1 did not significantly prolong survival of cardiac grafts. Furthermore, B-1 did not potentiate the effects of the standard anti-rejection drug cyclosporine. Assessment; of the mice for appearance, behaviour, biochemistry, haematology and histology revealed no toxic effects at the dosages used in the experiments. These results indicate that the immunosuppressive properties of B-1 are confined to the antibody-mediated system, and suggest that B-1 may be of value in the treatment of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in which autoantibodies have a major role in pathogenesis.