Effects of reversible inhibition of cholinesterase and nicotine on mouse mortality and blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines during the early phase of sepsis.

Experiments on outbred albino mice have shown that proserine (reversible cholinesterase inhibitor) and nicotine (nicotinic receptor agonist) in a equivalent dose of 0.2 DL(50)injected 2 h before sepsis induction significantly reduced animal mortality from experimental infection due to reduction of blood concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6.