Effects of D-Penicillamine and Prednisolone on Connective Tissue in Rats

The effects of D-penicillamine and prednisolone acetate on connective tissue were studied in rats using various techniques. Tensile strength of skin strips decreased even after 2 days' oral treatment with D-penicillamine. This effect was dose-related and was much more pronounced after 10 days' treatment. Injections of prednisolone acetate caused an increase of skin tensile strength which was antagonized by simultaneous treatment with D-penicillamine. In contrast to skin there was almost no influence of D-penicillamine in doses up to 300 mg/kg p.o. on tensile strength of femoral epiphyseal plates of rats. In addition, the antagonism against prednisolone was very small in epi- physeal cartilage.D-penicillamine caused no effect on exudative inflammation (granuloma pouch) whereas prednisolone was very effective. Connective tissue proliferation measured as wet weight of glass rod granuloma was not influenced by D-penicillamine, whereas a significant weight reduction was found after prednisolone injections. In contrast to the lack of effect on wet weight, the breaking load of glass rod granuloma was considerably decreased by D-penicillamine. In spite of severe weight reduction by prednisolone treatment the tensile strength of granuloma tissue was slightly increased.