The effects of
Oxamisole, 2,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-2-phenyl-8,8- dimethoxyimidazo[1,2a]
pyridine on immune parameters of mice infected with murine
hepatitis were investigated. Young Swiss Webster mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with the Friend-Braunsteiner strain of murine hepatitis virus and with various doses of
Oxamisole at 48 h pre- 24 h pre-, and 4 h post-virus exposure.
Antiviral activity was seen in the
drug-treated mice which was approximated on the basis of 21-day survival frequency and hepatic discoloration,
SGOT and
SGPT levels and amount of infectious virus recoverable from the liver. On day 4 post-viral exposure, splenic cells from some of the
drug- and placebo-treated cells of infected mice injected with
Oxamisole, 25 mg/kg/day, produced significantly more
interleukin-1 and
interleukin-2 than cells of infected mice treated with saline only. Similarly, mice treated with 25 mg/kg/day of this compound had cells with significantly increased antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity as compared with placebo treated animals. However, cells from mice treated with
Oxamisole did not demonstrate altered natural killer cell activity. It is concluded that
Oxamisole, when administered to mice infected with murine hepatitis virus, has
antiviral properties which possibly are mediated through the immunomodulatory effects of this compound on the immune system.