[Combined use of prodigiozan and methyluracil with immunosuppressive drugs in adjuvant arthritis in rats].

The effect of the combined use of prodigiozan (0.5 mg/kg bw) prodigiozan with immunosuppressants on the development of adjuvant arthritis was studied on rats. The drugs were given during the prearthritis period from the 1st to the 16th day after injection of complete Freund's adjuvant. It was shown that the combined use of prodigiozan and cyclophosphamide (5 mg/kg) induced significant inhibition of the arthritis development and extraarticular signs of the disease. The efficacy of the combination was higher than that of cyclophosphamide alone. Azathioprine (4 mg/kg/bw) produced no immunosuppressant effect and did not influence the inhibitory effect of prodigiozan on the development of the adjuvant disease. Prednisolone (1.6 mg/kg) either did not inhibit the arthritis development. However, it eliminated the prodigiozan effect. Methyluracil did not change the effect of the immunosuppressants on the articular syndrome. Still, it increased the number of nodular affections in the animals treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisolone. The data obtained show the possibility of prodigiozan combination with certain immunosuppressants in autoimmune affections and confirm the suggestion that the inhibitory effect of this drug is mediated through macrophages.