Anti-inflammatory potency of oral disulfiram compared with dexamethasone on endotoxin-induced uveitis in rats.

Author(s): Kanai K, Itoh N, Ito Y, Nagai N, Hori Y, Chikazawa S, Hoshi F, Higuchi S

Affiliation(s): Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kitasato, Towada, Aomori 034-8628, Japan. kanai@vmas.kitasato-u.ac.jp

Publication date & source: 2011-04, J Vet Med Sci., 73(4):517-20. Epub 2010 Dec 6.

Publication type: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

To investigate potency of oral disulfiram (DSF) compared with that of dexamethasone (Dexa), on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rats. The oral administration with 750 mg/kg DSF suppressed the number of inflammatory cells, protein concentration, and levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, Nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin (PG) E2 in the aqueous humor and improved the histiologic status of the ocular tissue at 24 hr after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection. The anti-inflammatory potency of DSF oral administration was as strong as that observed with 0.5 mg/kg Dexa in the present study. The results suggest that DSF might pave the way for a novel therapeutic agent for the management of uveitis.