[Time course of interferon status of patients with herpetic keratitis during treatment with actipol, a new inteferon...

Interferon (IFN) status was evaluated in 20 patients with various forms of herpetic keratitis over the course of treatment with actipol (0.07% para-aminobenzoic acid). Actipol was injected subconjunctivally parabulbarly in combination with instillations into the conjunctival sac or only instilled, depending on the disease severity. The following parameters were evaluated: 1) total content of various IFN types in circulating blood and 2) leukocyte capacity to produce IFN in vitro in patient's whole blood cells. IFN-alpha was induced with Newcastle disease virus and IFN-beta with staphylococcal enterotoxin. Before treatment IFN-producing capacity of blood cells in vitro was decreased in 60% patients and was normal or increased in 40%. Plasma concentrations of IFN were moderately increased in 45% patients. All IFN parameters in patients with initially disordered IFN status normalized during actipol therapy and after clinical cure and did not change in the patients with initially normal IFN values. Hence, local actipol therapy in patients with various forms of ophthalmic herpes modifies IFN status.