Antiendotoxic Therapy with Polyclonal and Polyvalent Immunoglobulins: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Today endotoxins or lipopolysaccharides are accepted as representing the main pathogenetic mediators of gram-negative bacteria [1]. In a variety of diseases endotoxin was found circulating in the blood stream [2–6]. Ever since the mediator principle of septic disease has been generally accepted endotoxin has been seen as the primary trigger molecule of different mediator systems, at least in gram-negative sepsis [7, 8]. Recently, some excellent studies have been published demonstrating a correlation between endotoxin plasma levels and the course of sepsis that supports this interpretation [9, 10]. Thus, from a clinical point of view an adjuvant therapy seems desirable.