MEDICINAL COMPOSITION AND THERAPEUTIC METHOD

摘要

Based on the finding of a novel effect of IL-18, it is intended to provide a medicinal composition containing IL-18 for preventing, ameliorating or treating an inflammatory disease such as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and a therapeutic method. An inflammatory disease such as SI RS can be prevented, ameliorated or treated without depending interferon .gamma . by administering the above-described medicinal composition containing IL-18 in such an amount as not to elevate the interleukin 18 concentration in either plasma or liver, which has been lowered by the inflammatory disease, exceedi ng the normal level.