OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP) on level of serum interleukin 2 (IL-2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in patients of acute anterior uveitis (AAU).

METHODSPatients of AAU were randomly divided into two groups. The treated group (n = 50) was mainly treated with TWP and the control group (n = 50) treated with bimolani. The level of IL-2 and TNF-alpha before and after treatment were determined and compared between the two groups and also compared between the treated group and normal group consisted of 50 healthy subjects.

RESULTSLevels of IL-2 and TNF-alpha in the treated group before treatment were 1.31 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L and 1.20 +/- 0.65 micrograms/L, and after treatment 1.19 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L and 0.96 +/- 0.54 microgram/L, those in the control group were 1.31 +/- 0.26 micrograms/L and 1.22 +/- 0.66 micrograms/L before treatment and 1.20 +/- 0.27 micrograms/L and 0.98 +/- 0.51 microgram/L after treatment respectively. Comparisons of the two parameters before and after treatment in both groups showed significant difference (P < 0.05 in TWP group and P < 0.01 in bimolani group). The two parameters in both treated groups were all higher than those in the normal group before treatment (P < 0.05), but showed insignificant difference after treatment (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAbnormal changes of IL-2 and TNF-alpha exist in AAU patients, TWP could suppress both parameters markedly therefore has a reliable effect in treatment of AAU.