Serum levels of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients with acute viral hepatitis were investigated. Twelve patients suffering from acute viral hepatitis were studied; 8 patients presented with acute hepatitis B, 2 patients with acute hepatitis A, and 2 patients with acute hepatitis C. Serum levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were significantly increased in all patients with acute viral hepatitis. Decreased serum levels of all cytokines were noted in four patients with acute hepatitis B during the recovery phase of infection. In addition, IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha were undetectable at the end of a follow-up period of 6 months. Our study shows that increased levels of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha are probably related to hepatitis activity and thus may have some role in hepatocytic injury.

The pharmacokinetic properties of a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory preparation of nabumetone have been studied in both plasma and extravascular fluids. The skin suction blister technique was used on six healthy volunteers on two separate occasions and gave good, reproducible results. A single oral dose of 1 g nabumetone achieved significant blood and skin suction blister fluid concentrations. The partition index (area under the concentration curve for the skin suction blister/area under the concentration curve for blood) showed that the orally administered drug was well diffused within the body.

In this study we report that treatment with recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (rIL-1 beta) (10 U per mouse, intraperitoneally) significantly increased the number of inflammatory macrophages in the peritoneal cavity of mice treated with pertussis toxin (PT) (1 micrograms per mouse, intravenously). The administration of rIL-1 beta in a single intraperitoneal dose (10 U per mouse) 1 or 2 days before challenge with PT did not prevent the decrease in the number of inflammatory macrophages in the peritoneal cavity of mice. On the other hand, the simultaneous administration of rIL-1 beta and PT, as well as the administration of rIL-1 beta 24 h after injection of PT, significantly counteracted the inhibitory effect of PT on inflammatory peritoneal macrophages.