Efficiency of lithium salt of disulphide of glutathione and inosine in treatment of multiple sclerosis in experiment

Abstract

We studied the possibility of pharmacological correction of neurological disorders in guinea pigs and rabbits with the lithium salt of disulphide of glutathione and inosine medication in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis caused by inoculation of the main myelin protein in Freund’s complete adjuvant. The intradermal test with the main protein of myelin was accomplished in all animals to confirm the autoimmune process at 21st day after sensibilization. The lithium salt of disulphide of glutathione and inosine medication was administered intramuscularly every other day at a single dose of 10 mg/kg for 5 weeks. The symptoms of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis were more pronounced in rabbits and to a lesser extent in guinea pigs. The high therapeutic efficacy of lithium salt of disulphide of glutathione and inosine was established according to the severity and incidence of neurological disorders (dysfunction of the pelvic organs, ataxia, tremor, paralysis and paresis of the limbs) and lethality rate. Early (at 5 days after sensibilization) and subsequent therapeutic use of lithium salt of disulphide of glutathione and inosine prevented the development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in 75% of laboratory animals, in the rest 25% of the animals the course of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was comparatively mild. There were no lethal outcomes in study group compared with lethal outcomes in 70% of animals in control group. Experimental evidence of neuroprotective effects of lithium in brain ischemia and in neurodegenerative diseases highlights new opportunities for the use of lithium-containing drugs in clinical neurology. It has been confirmed that the lithium salt of glutathione and inosine disulfide has a moderate immunosuppressive effect, inhibiting the biosynthesis of antibodies and the delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction.