[Immunosuppressive effects of a new phenothiazine derivative]. / Les effets immunosuppresseurs d'un nouveau dérivé de la phénothiazine.

An original phenothiazine, CPTZ, was tested for its effects on the mouse immune system. Serum opsonic capacity, phagocyte and bactericidal activity of peritoneal macrophages, counts of splenic cells forming hemolysis plaques, and the number of survivors after experimental infection were recorded. The effects observed were compared with those produced by levamisole (a non-selective immunomodulator) and indometacin (an antiinflammatory drug with selective immunomodulator properties). The effects of CPTZ might be useful for the development of a new class of immunosuppressor drugs.

[The blood enzymatic antioxidative potential in bronchial asthma patients]. / Investigarea potentialului antioxidativ enzimatic sanguin la pacienti cu astm bronsic.

This study aims at assessing the ability of asthma patients to defend themselves against the noxious effects of oxidative stress, known being the inflammatory nature of this disorder. As the anti-radical defence ability of the body is reflected by the antioxidative potential of blood and tissues, our study was based on the determination of the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and CAT/SOD and GPx/SOD ratios in the blood. Except for SOD, the activity of which was lower in asthma patients by -34.08%, CAT and GPx had values increased by +32.18%, respectively, with a resulting increase of CAT/SOD and GPx/SOD ratios. Our data, demonstrating a change in per-oxidants/antioxidants balance in favour of the first ones, seem to suggest that in the treatment of bronchial asthma the association of some compounds with antioxidants effects would be beneficial.