Therapeutic effect of nucleoside analogs on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in dark agouti rats

Abstract

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a commonly used animal model of the human neurological disorder multiple sclerosis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of combined treatment with two nucleoside analogs, ribavirin and tiazofurin, on development of EAE actively induced in highly susceptible dark agouti rats. The obtained results showed that ribavirin and tiazofurin applied either separately or in combination from the onset of the firstsymptoms of EAE after its induction (therapeutic treatment) significantly suppressed EAE’s clinical symptoms. However, the most pronounced effect was gained with combined treatment, probably as a result of synergistic/additive action.

Keywords

• experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
• multiple sclerosis
• ribavirin
• tiazofurin
• therapeutic treatment