Mitogenic activity of high molecular polysaccharide fractions isolated from the cuppressaceae Thuja occidentalis L. enhanced cytokine-production by thyapolysaccharide, g-fraction (TPSg).

Thuja polysaccharide g fraction (TPSg) was shown to be an inducer of the CD4+ fraction of the human peripheral blood T-cell subset (1,2). Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that TPSg is a potent inhibitor of the expression of HIV-1-specific antigens and of the HIV-1-specific reverse transcriptase (3). This report deals with the cytokine pattern induced by TPSg in human peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) and purified monocyte/macrophage cultures.

[Drug therapy of chronic inflammatory intestinal diseases].

The therapy of inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis) has been improved in recent years. This is mainly due to our better understanding of application of aminosalicylates and steroids in regard to localization, activity, and type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Newly developed aminosalicylates like mesalazine provoke less side effects.