The influence of chlorambucil on experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Abstract

One subcutaneous injection of chlorambucil (1.0 mg/100 g body weight), administered to male guinea pigs immediately following subcutaneous inoculation with one depot of homologous brain in Freund''s complete adjuvant resulted in a slightly lower incidence of paralysis, urinary incontinence, fecal impaction, and rapid weight loss than occurred when chlorambucil was not given. In animals given antigen but no chlorambucil, multiple symptoms appeared more frequently than in those given chlorambucil in addition to antigen. Chlorambucil treatment after inoculation with the same amount of antigen in multiple depots showed no protective effect. The day of onset of allergic encephalitis symptoms was unaffected in both single and multiple antigen depot groups. The protective effect is believed to be due to a decreased level of circulating lymphocytes.