ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP) on level of serum interleukin 2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients of acute anterior uveitis (AAU).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients of AAU were randomly divided into two groups. The treated group (n = 50) was mainly treated with TWP and the control group (n = 50) treated with bimolani. The level of IL-2 and TNF-alpha before and after treatment were determined and compared between the two groups and also compared between the treated group and normal group consisted of 50 healthy subjects.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Levels of IL-2 and TNF-alpha in the treated group before treatment were 1.31 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L and 1.20 +/- 0.65 micrograms/L, and after treatment 1.19 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L and 0.96 +/- 0.54 microgram/L, those in the control group were 1.31 +/- 0.26 micrograms/L and 1.22 +/- 0.66 micrograms/L before treatment and 1.20 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L and 0.98 +/- 0.51 microgram/L after treatment respectively. Comparisons of the two parameters before and after treatment in both groups showed significant difference (P < 0.05 in TWP group and P < 0.01 in bimolani group). The two parameters in both treated groups were all higher than those in the normal group before treatment (P < 0.05), but showed insignificant difference after treatment (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Abnormal changes of IL-2 and TNF-alpha exist in AAU patients, TWP could suppress both parameters markedly therefore has a reliable effect in treatment of AAU.</p>