In vivo
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Hydrocortisone-acetate (HA)-treatment of BALB/c-mice induced a profound suppression of the lymphatic immune system with statistically significant decreases of thymocyte proliferation and maturation rates as well as peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) counts. To check its putative immunoprotective/immunorestoring activity, the optimal immunomodulating dosage of commercially available mistletoe extract standardized for the galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin (ML-1) was regularly administered (1 ng ML-1 per kg body weight; subcutaneously). ⋯ Counts of BALB/c-mouse peripheral blood mononuclear cells also revealed statistically significant increases after ML-1 co-administration, as compared to HA-treated animals. Accordingly, ML-1 treatment may be supposed to restore the lymphatic system after immunosuppressive corticoid treatment and thus this treatment may be of great benefit to patients.