THE EFFECTS OF CALCIUM DOBESILATE ON ACUTE LYMPHEDEMA (WITH AND WITHOUT MACROPHAGES), AND ON BURN EDEMA

JR Casley-Smith, JuR Casley-Smith

Abstract


Calcium dobesilate ("Doxium", O.M.
Laboratories, Geneva) was tested in two high-protein
edemas. While at a high dose level it had no effect
on burn edema of the ratfoot, it did at a low dose. It
greatly reduced (to 26o/o) acute lymphedema in the
rat thigh (although not in the foot). Electron
microscopy confirmed these findings, and showed that
the drug increased the number of macrophages in the
tissues and reduced the protein concentrations. If,
however, the macrophages were destroyed (by silica)
this effect on acute lymphedema was lost (as with
benzo-pyrones).
Calcium dobesilate also reduces high-protein
edemas in other models, and in many ways its actions
resemble those of benzo-pyrones. Hence it is
suggested that this substituted benzene ring may be
the basic structure responsible for this action in highprotein
edema, and that the pyrone ring (and any
side-chains) in the benzo-pyrones are not essential to
their enhancement of proteolytic activity by
macrophages.


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