Synergistic effects of RAD and Neoral in inhibition of host‐vs.‐graft and graft‐vs.‐host immune responses in rat small‐bowel transplantation

The combined effects of RAD and Neoral were tested in a rat orthotopic small‐bowel transplantation model. Seven groups (n = 6) were involved in this study, and each one was included in three rejection models for the evaluation of host‐vs.‐graft disease (HVG) (LBN‐F1 to LEW), graft‐vs.‐host disease (GVH) (LEW to LBN‐F1), and combined HVG and GVH immune responses (BN to LEW). Both drugs were administered orally throughout the study. Low doses of RAD (1.0–2.5 mg/kg/day) combined with Neoral (2.0–5.0 mg/kg/day) produced strong synergistic effects in the prolongation of small‐bowel graft survival in HVG (combination index, CI = 0.095, 0.1212), GVH (CI = 0.027, 0.020), and combined HVG and GVH immune responses (CI = 0.070, 0.301). The combination therapy of RAD and Neoral produces a strong synergistic effect toward the inhibition of HVG, GVH, and combined HVG and GVH immune responses in a rat small‐bowel transplantation model. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. MICROSURGERY 23:476–482 2003