Murine natural cytotoxicity mediated by NC-1.1 and NC-2 receptors are a major component of the innate immune response to cancer. Treatment with anti-NC-2 and anti-NC-1.1 monoclonal antibodies resulted in enhanced growth of certain transplantable tumors. Therefore agents that enhance natural cytotoxicity could be used as anticancer drugs. We examined the immunomodulatory effect of LEVAMISOLE on natural cytotoxicity mediated by NC-2+ cells against the BALB/c WEHI-164 murine fibrosarcoma. Administration of LEVAMISOLE to BALB/c mice significantly enhanced in vitro splenic natural cytoxicity against 51Crlabeled WEHI-164 tumor cells. The effect was most marked 48 hours after LEVAMISOLE treatment with a dose of 10 mg/kg. This enhancement of natural cytotoxicity by LEVAMISOLE could be completely abrogated by pretreatment of BALB/c mice with anti-NC-2, indicating that the anti-tumor effect of LEVAMISOLE was mediated, at least partly, via NC-2+cells.

Introduction. Childhood idiopathic nephrotic syndrome is characterized by frequent relapsing courses or steroid dependency. LEVAMISOLE is a popular drug for treatment of these patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate LEVAMISOLE in children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome.Materials and Methods. We retrospectively studied 304 children with a diagnosis of steroid-dependent nephritic syndrome or frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 4.84 years. Following induction of complete remission with steroid therapy based on the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children’s protocol and when they were taking alternative days of steroid, 2.5 mg/kg of LEVAMISOLE was administered.Results. The steroid dose was significantly decreased (mean reduction of 0.39 ± 0.46 g to 0.33 ± 0.38 g) after treatment with LEVAMISOLE (P < .001). The number of relapses also significantly decreased (mean reduction of 0.92 ± 0.98 episodes to 1.07±1.20 relapses per year; P < .001). The 14.5-month administration of levamizole had a sensitivity of 67.5% and a specificity of 71.9% to reach a dose reduction of more than 50% in steroid therapy. The duration of levamizole treatment was associated with more than 50% reduction in the number of relapses (P < .001). A 14.5-month treatment with levamizole had a sensitivity of 62.3% and a specificity of 63.6% to reach a relapse reduction of more than 50%. Conclusions. LEVAMISOLE appears to be effective in prolonging the duration of remission and decreasing the steroid dose in children with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome.

Background: Childhood nephrotic syndrome is frequently characterized by a relapsing course. Due to their adverse effects, the use of corticosteroids for the management of frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome is limited. LEVAMISOLE, a steroid sparing agent, has been found to have low toxicity. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of LEVAMISOLE in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SDNS).Methods: In this retrospective study from January 1988 to September 2006, we included data from 305 pediatric SDNS patients at the Children’s Medical Center clinics in Tehran, Iran. Nephrotic syndrome was diagnosed using classic criteria. None of the patients had any signs or symptoms of secondary causes of nephrotic syndrome. All had received prednisolone 60 mg/m2/day. After remission, prednisolone administration was reduced to every other day and the steroid was tapered over the next three months. With every recurrence, prednisolone was prescribed with the same dosage, but after remission it was continued at a lower dosage for another six months or longer if there was risk of recurrence. LEVAMISOLE was administered to all patients at a dose of 2 mg/kg every other day.Results: Patients ranged in age from 1 to 20 years (mean±SD: 4.84 ±3.1) and 70.8% were male. At the last follow up, 84 (27.5%) were in remission, while 220 (72.1%) patients had relapsed or needed a low dose of steroid. LEVAMISOLE was effective in reducing the prednisolone dosage and long-term remission in 68 (22.3%) and 90 (29.5%) cases, respectively. A comparison of before vs. after LEVAMISOLE treatment revealed a had significant decrease in the number of relapses (2.05±0.88 vs. 1.1±1.23; P<0.0001) and the prednisolone dosage (0.74±0.39 vs. 0.32±0.38 mg/kg/day; P<0.0001). Only one patient developed LEVAMISOLE-induced neutropenia.Conclusions: In childhood steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome, LEVAMISOLE is an efficacious, safe initial therapy in maintaining remission while decreasing steroid dose, in addition to reducing the rate of relapse.

The interaction of organic cation LEVAMISOLE (Lev) with tropeoline was investigated with the help of thermal studies and IR spectroscopy. These slightly soluble associates were used as electrode active substances (EAS) in plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membranes of ion-selective electrodes (ISE), sensitive to organic cation LEVAMISOLE. Based on the experimental data, a new method of LEVAMISOLE determination in industrial products by direct potentiometry with the help of membrane sensor was developed.

In this research Quil-A and LEVAMISOLE as immunostimulants were used both by immersion route (Quil-A, 40 mg/L and LEVAMISOLE, 50 mg/L) and oral route (Quil-A 5, 10 mg and LEVAMISOLE 20, 40mg) in common carp (Cyprinlls carpio)(mean weight ~80g) daily for 20 days. after twenty days of treatment with immunostimulants, stained heat killed Candida albicans and Bacillus cereus were injected intravenously via caudal vein. Two hours after injection, bIood and kidney tissue samples were collected. Phagocytosis rate of blood and kidney smears were died using Gimsa staining. Results showed that phagocytosis of Candida albicans cells by od leukocytes in immersion groups into 40mg/L and 50 mg/L LEVAMISOLE and orally used 5 and 10 mg Quil-A groups were significantly increased in comparison with the control group. While fish given 20 mg LEVAMISOLE orally did not show a significant difference with control group and phagocytosis in 40mg LEVAMISOLE by oral administration was suppressed as showed significant difference with control and other groups. Phagocytosis of Bacillus cereus cells showed similar results to the Candida albicans cells. Phagocytosis rate in kidney tissue was also stimulated in all groups except for 20 and 40mg LEVAMISOLE groups presumably due to immnunosuppressive effect of high LEVAMISOLE rate.

Introduction & Objective: Patients suffering from a major trauma such as burn, have a high risk of infection that is attributed to decline of their immune response. Nonspecific immune stimulators have been used experimentally to improve the patients' immune status. Immune-stimulatory effects of LEVAMISOLE have been cited in literatures.Materials & Methods: This study is conducted to assess the efficacy of LEVAMISOLE on improvement and duration of hospitalization of burn patients in university-affiliated burn center in Yasuj, southwest Iran. Sixty-one thermal burned patients were randomly allocated into two groups. The case group (29 patients) received LEVAMISOLE 3mg/kg weekly (one mg/kg) every other day, and the control group received vitamin C every other day as a placebo.Both groups had received routine burn treatments.Results: The eschar peeling time was 19.14 days in group A and 23.13 Days in group B. Complete wound healing in group A was on 27.72 days, while was on 32.87 days in group B. Statistical analysis of the data using T test showed that the differences are significant (p<0.0001).Conclusions: LEVAMISOLE as a non-specific immune stimulator can be used to enhance the immune status of burn patients which in turn improves the patients recovery time.

LEVAMISOLE is an anthelmintic agent and also immunostimulant drug which is used to treat colorectal cancer. The present study aimed to show accidental consumption of LEVAMISOLE alone induced multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy. A 53-year-old male was admitted to the Neurology Department of Farabi Hospital (Kermanshah, Iran) with walking inability and recognition disorder. Following clinical examinations, the patient diagnosed as multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy following LEVAMISOLE consumption. The patient was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone followed by prednisolone. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was done 1 month later and did not show a reduction or remission in the lesions. History of the patient showed that he had accidentally consumed LEVAMISOLE 8 months ago. It seems that the consumption of LEVAMISOLE can induce multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy and delayed treatment of the patient with corticosteroid cannot diminish the neurotoxicity of LEVAMISOLE. In addition, the cytotoxic dose of LEVAMISOLE induces irreversible multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy.