[Evaluation of various administration routes of the streptococcal preparation, OK-432, with regard to their in vivo effect by lymphocytes proliferation assay].

To evaluate the efficacies of various administration routes of the streptococcal preparation, OK-432, we studied the lymphocyte proliferation responses to lectins in patients with malignancies. OK-432 was administered intravenously (I.V.), intramuscularly (I. M.) or intradermally (I.D.) for 2 weeks. Lymphocyte proliferation responses to concanavalin A, PHA and SuM (crude extract of OK-432) were studied before and after OK-432 administration. Enhanced responses were observed in 7 out of 9 patients (77.8%) in the I.V. group compared with 3 out of 7 (44.2%) in the I.M. group and 4 out of 9 (44.4%) in the I.D. group. Ratios of stimulation index (S.I.) after administration over S.I. before administration were highest in the I.V. group. These results suggest that I.V. administration of OK-432 is most effective for stimulating host immune systems.