Clinical Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1996. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 25, 1996; 2(1): 36-40
Published online Mar 25, 1996. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v2.i1.36
Anti-rejection therapy with tripterygium woifordii and low-dose cyclosporine for small bowel transplantation in pigs
Ning Li, Jie-Shou Li, Chai-Xian Liao, You-Sheng Li
Ning Li, Jie-Shou Li, Chai-Xian Liao, You-Sheng Li, Chinese PLA Research, Institute of general Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Ning Li, Professor of Surgery, Having 50 papers publishes. Chinese PLA Research, Institute of general Surgery, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 1991069.
Correspondence to: Dr. Ning Li, Professor, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing 210002, Jiangsu Province, China
Telephone: +86-25-4403110
Received: November 18, 1995
Revised: January 13, 1996
Accepted: February 1, 1996
Published online: March 25, 1996
Abstract

AIM: To determine whether anti-rejection therapy with tripterygium wolfordii (TW) and low-dose cyclosporine (CsA) is better than treatments with large-dose CsA for small bowel transplantation.

METHODS: Two-step segmental small bowel transplantation was performed in pigs and followed by treatment with either no, low-dose or high-dose CsA, which was followed by TW, a traditional Chinese medicine, or not.

RESULTS: The transplanted pigs receiving no CsA developed organ rejection, as did the pigs who received the low-dose CsA treatment alone; the mean survival time of the grafts was 12 ± 8.2 ± 7 d and 12 ± 4.2 ± 6 d respectively. Of the 4 transplanted pigs receiving the high-dose CsA for 100 d and then the TW treatment, 2 required euthanasia for severe pneumonia that developed on day 92 and 97 respectively, and the other 2 survived more than 348 and 327 d respectively. Of the 5 transplanted pigs receiving low-dose CsA for 100 d and then the TW treatment, all survived for 243 ± 2.90 ± 9 d and none succumbed to infection.

CONCLUSION: We are the first to use TW in small bowel transplantation and to show that TW can be a powerful and effective anti-rejection agent when applied in conjunction with the standard immunosuppressant CsA.

Keywords: Tripterygium wolfordii intestine; Small/transplantation cyclosporine graft rejection