Complement-mediated antiinflammatory effect of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid fangchinoline.

Complement-mediated mode of action of bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid fangchinoline was investigated in vivo and in vitro. The application of fangchinoline intraperitoneally (i.p.) to complement normal mice, strain ICR, inhibited the complement activity in serum and peritoneal exudate. The substance activated serum complement of C5-deficient DBA/2 mice. Fangchinoline was able to provoke local inflammatory reaction in both strains after subcutaneous (s.c.) injection. The alkaloid suppressed paw swelling induced by live Candida albicans in ICR and DBA/2 mice. Its effect depended on the dose and time of injection prior to inflammatory reaction. The in vitro experiments proved the interference of fangchinoline action with post-C5 reactions. The substance augmented C5-convertase formation and functional activity. These results are in correspondence with our previous investigations, proving the complement-mediated action of fangchinoline. The antiinflammatory effect could be a consequence of the caused complement exhaustion.