[Evaluation of the prolonged immunotropic effect of the potential antiparkinson agent himantane]

A prolonged immunotropic effect of himantane, a new potential antiparkinsonian drug with a multicomponent (including dopaminopositive) mechanism of action, upon the functional activity of splenic B-cells in mice was studied in comparison to the effect of a typical neuroleptic drug haloperidol. A single administration of himantane (10 mg/kg) stimulated the B-cell activity over a period of 21 days, while haloperidol (0.25 mg/kg) suppressed this activity for 14 days after administration. The results of experiments on the adjuvant arthritis (paw edema) model showed that a single administration of himantane in the same dose under these pathological conditions does not influence the immune response (B-cell activity) for 14 days and increases the number of antibody-forming cells only 21 day after injection. Himantane enhanced the model arthritis manifestations in the early stage and reduced them in the late stage. It was established that the pronounced effect of himantane on the activity of immunocompetent cells is probably related to the drug action upon the central mechanisms of immunoregulation (which is consistent with a prolonged effect observed upon a single administration). This immunotropic activity indicates that the drug may affect immunological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.