Immunopharmacology and toxicology of the plant flavonoid baohuoside-1 in mice.

ABSTRACT

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.