[Immunosuppresive effects of wilfortrine and euonine]

Wifortrine and Euonine isolated from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. Wilfortrine and euonine (40.80 mg/(kg.d) x 4d ip) showed marked depressant effects on humoral mediated immunity using the hemolysin reaction as indices. Wilfortrine (160 mg/kg.d x 9d ip) exhibited a depressant effect on graft vs host reaction (GVHR), but wilfortrine (80 mg/(kg.d) x 9d ip) showed no definite effect. Euonine (80 mg/(kg.d) x 10d ip) showed marked suppressant effects on DNCB induced delayed hypersensitivity reaction on skin in mice. Wilfortrine and Euonine (80 mg/(kg.d) x 4d ip) significantly decreased the clearance rate of charcoal particles and the weights of spleen and thymus.