ArticleOng KS, Grieco MH, Rosner W.
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1978 Aug;62(2):115-8.
Triacetyloleandomycin (TAO) and its parent compound oleandomycin have a "steroid-sparing" effect in asthmatic patients. This study was designed to determine whether oleandomycin would enhance the inhibitory action of glucocorticosteroids in suppressing the blast transformation of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated human lymphocytes. Although oleandomycin could not be shown to inhibit the phytohemagglutinin stimulation of lymphocytes, there was a significant potentiation of steroid suppression at each concentration of methylprednisolone examined. This augmentation of glucocorticosteroid suppression of lymphocyte proliferation in vitro appears to support the clinically observed "steroid-sparing" effect of TAO and therefore its usefulness may not be limited to asthma and bronchitis.