ABSTRACT
Recently we have reported a zosteriform murine infection model which employs the adoptive transfer of immune cells (ATI) to recipient infected mice to produce a disease that mimics human recurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) disease. Mice were infected with HSV-1 by scarification at the lateroventral line of the neck; 2 days later, the mice received immune cells from HSV-1-infected syngeneic mice. Although virus was cleared more quickly from the target tissues of virus replication in recipient mice, ATI resulted in a heightened inflammatory response and delayed healing. This model was used to test the effects of topical formulations containing foscarnet and/or the anti-inflammatory agent, hydrocortisone. Virus clearance and clinical signs, including ear thickness and zosteriform spread of lesions, were studied. Treatment with 3% foscarnet accelerated virus clearance but had little effect on clinical parameters. By contrast, 0.5% hydrocortisone increased the titre and extended the presence of infectious virus for at least 6 days, although the reduction in clinical signs was greater than that obtained with topical foscarnet. Foscarnet in combination with hydrocortisone produced a marked reduction in clinical signs while virus replication was reduced. These results are discussed in relation to the inflammation and discomfort experienced by patients and a possible role for anti-inflammatory formulations in the treatment of HSV reactivation episodes in man.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Foscarnet/pharmacology , Herpes Simplex/drug therapy , Hydrocortisone/pharmacology , Administration, Topical , Adoptive Transfer , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage , Antiviral Agents/administration & dosage , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Combinations , Female , Foscarnet/administration & dosage , Herpes Simplex/immunology , Humans , Hydrocortisone/administration & dosage , Mice , Mice, Inbred BALB CABSTRACT
A collaborative study was undertaken to determine the potency in endotoxin Units (EU) and International Units (IU) of a control standard endotoxin, LIF-1. Five laboratories from the Swedish Pharmaceutical Industry participated in the study. As reference preparations, two official standards, USP reference standard endotoxin, EC-5 (expressed in EU) and WHOs international standard endotoxin (expressed in IU), were used. The study was performed using the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL), gel-clot test. The test protocol included dilutions of the endotoxin in steps of 1:1.25 instead of the conventional 1:2 step dilution method. This gave more precise and standardized results. The content of one vial of LIF-1 (CSE) was calculated to be 22 EU and 16 IU which indicates that 1 EU (USP) corresponds to 0.7 IU (WHO).
