Abstract: Anchors, anchoring systems, anchor delivery devices, and method of using anchors are described. An anchor may be a flexible anchor having two curved legs that cross in a single turning direction to form a loop, wherein the legs are adapted to penetrate tissue. The ends of the curved legs may be blunt or sharp. The anchor can assume different configurations such as a deployed configuration and a delivery configuration, and the anchor may switch between these different configurations. In operation, the anchor may be inserted into tissue by releasing the anchor from a delivery configuration so that the anchor self-expands into the deployed configuration, so that the legs of the anchor may penetrate the tissue in a curved pathway.

Abstract: A composition for use in immunosuppression therapy is disclosed. The composition includes an immunosuppressant drug, such as cyclosporin A, and an ethanol extract of the root xylem of Tripterygium wilfordii. The extract is effective alone, or in combination with such an immunosuppressant, in the treatment of transplantation rejection. Also disclosed is a method of immunosuppression that includes administering to a subject a pharmaceutically effective amount of an immunosuppressant drug and an extract of the type above, in an amount effective to potentiate the action of the drug.

Abstract: An immunosuppressant compound is produced having the structure: ##STR1## or a mirror image thereof, wherein X.sub.1 is 2,2-dimethylvinyl and X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 together are .dbd.CH.sub.2 ; or X.sub.1 is 2,2-dimethyloxiranyl, and X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 together are --0--CH.sub.2 --; or X.sub.1 is 1,2-dihydroxy-2-methyl-propyl, X.sub.2 is --CH.sub.2 OH, and X.sub.3 is OH; or X.sub.1 is 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl, X.sub.2 is H, and X.sub.3 is CH.sub.2 OH; or X.sub.1 is COOR, and X.sub.2 and X.sub.3 together are .dbd.O, where R is a lower alkyl, phenyl, or benzyl group; or X.sub.1 is 2-methylpropyl, X.sub.2 is H, and X.sub.3 is CH.sub.3. The compound can be produced by culturing Fusarium subglutinans f. sp. tripterygii ATCC 74358 isolated from the stems of Tripterygium wilfordii. A pharmaceutical composition for immunosuppression therapy is prepared containing the compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable vehicle.