Use of oral enzymes in
multiple sclerosis: phenotyping of peripheral blood lymphocytes from
MS patients under long-term treatment with orally administered
hydrolytic enzymes.
Stauder G., Donnerstag B., Baumhackl
U., Buschmans E. Use of oral enzymes in multiple sclerosis:
phenotyping of peripheral blood lymphocytes from MS patients under
long-term treatment with orally administered hydrolytic enzymes.
Inter. Journal of Immunotherapy 1997, Vol. XIII, No. 3/4, pp
135-137.
Summary: Oral hydrolytic enzymes in combination with rutosid have
been applied in MS patients for more than 20 years. We investigated
whether immunological alterations in MS patients are influenced by
enzyme treatment. We determined the phenotypes of specific
lymphocytic antigens in 12 patients with relapsing-remitting MS, who
were known to be under long-term treatment with oral hydrolytic
enzymes (Phlogenzym®). Matched untreated (i.e., only treated for
symptoms) MS patients (n=18) and healthy volunteers (n=10) served as
controls. For phenotyping, the following lymphocytic antigens were
measured: CD4, CD8, CD3, CD2, CDl9, CD56, CDl4, CD45, CD45RA,
CD45RO, CD25, CD54 and HLA-DR. Tests were carried out with a panel
of different fluorescence-conjugated murine monoclonal antibodies
and subsequent two color flow-cytometry. Data is expressed as
percentage gated cells. Symptomatically treated patients had
increased CD4, CD19, CD2 and CD45RO, CD54 and CD56. These changes
were influenced by hydrolytic enzymes in the following manner: CD8
was markedly decreased; CD4, CD2, CD25, CD-45-RO, CD-45RA, CD56
slightly decreased. Furthermore, a statistically significant
decrease was found for CD45 and CD54. From these results the
conclusion can be drawn that positive clinical findings in MS
patients under oral hydrolytic enzymes are causatively linked to a
decrease in inflammatory activity.