Effect of Various Stilbene Compounds on the Phagocytic Activity of the Reticulo-Endothelial System

Abstract

IN his original observations on the influence of hormones on the appearance and activity of phagocytic cells in the endometrium, Nicol¹ reported that stimulation of these cells was only obtained following the administration of œstrogenic hormones. This work was later extended to include both natural and synthetic cestrogens^2–4 and the findings indicated that in both male and female animals œstrogens possess a strong stimulating influence on the reticulo-endothelial system which results in the appearance of large numbers of macrophages in the spleen, liver and lymph nodes, and the mobilization of these macrophages into the circulation. In the above researches the trypan blue method was used to assess the activity of the reticulo-endothelial phagocytes. These results have since been confirmed by the carbon method and it has been found that the strongest stimulant of the reticulo-endothelial system is diethyl stilbœstrol⁵.