Immunomodulation of cyproheptadine hydrochloride on albino mice blood lymphocytes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cyproheptadine hydrochloride (HCl) is antihistaminic drug which used widely inour country as an appetizer and for weight gain especially for low weight children.OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to assess the effects of cyproheptadine HCl on blood pictureincluding white blood cells count, lymphocytes count, and its effect on the level of different cytokines.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an experimental study conducted at Biotechnology ResearchCenter Laboratory in Alnahrain University from November 2016 to April 2017. It included five groupsof albino male mice, these groups were treated separately with four doses of the cyproheptadine drugand fifth as control group; the doses were selected according to the British National Formulary (BNF)2010 calculated on the base of mice/human deference’s in body weight: These are (0.065, 0.092,0.120, 0.24) mg/mice/day, respectively, with fifth untreated mice group considered as control.RESULTS: The untreated mice (control) lymphocyte count was (4000) cell/ml and the totallymphocytes count increased up to (7014) cell/ml than the normal leading changes in interleukins (ILs)level in different manner, such as decreasing in both IL‑6 and IL‑10 levels with increasing in IL‑12level and no change in IL‑4 level.CONCLUSION: The current study showed that cyproheptadine HCl may have unwanted sideeffects, and its abuse may lead to disturbances in white blood cell especially lymphocyte which inturn will affect the immunity of persons taking it, especially in children, since the immune systemmodulates ILs secretion to face the irritability of drug behavior, that will lead abnormalities in humanimmune system.