Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, 600 034 Tamilnadu, India.
Inflammopharmacology. 2011 Dec;19(6):317-25. doi: 10.1007/s10787-011-0091-7. Epub 2011 Sep 23.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive and systemic inflammatory disorder mainly affecting the synovial joints. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-arthritic effect of the methanol extract of Saraca asoca (Roxb.) Wilde., (Fabaceae) on adjuvant induced arthritis by assessing paw swelling, body weight, the levels of lysosomal enzymes, protein bound carbohydrates, serum cytokines, urinary collagen and histopathology of joints. It was found that S. asoca methanol extract at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg reduced the paw thickness and elevated the mean body weight of arthritic rats. The treatment of S. asoca showed a significant reduction in the levels of both plasma and liver lysosomal enzymes. The protein bound carbohydrates and urinary collagen contents were also decreased at a significant level by the treatment of S. asoca methanol extract. The histopathological study of the joints showed the anti-arthritic property of S. asoca which nearly normalized the histological architecture of the joints. Further, we established the anti-arthritic activity of S. asoca methanol extract by measuring the levels of cytokines in both arthritic and treated rats. The treatment of S. asoca reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, S. asoca methanol extract was capable of ameliorating the conditions of arthritis in adjuvant induced arthritic rats.
类风湿性关节炎是一种慢性、进行性和系统性炎症性疾病，主要影响滑膜关节。在本研究中，我们通过评估爪肿胀、体重、溶酶体酶水平、蛋白结合碳水化合物、血清细胞因子、尿胶原和关节组织病理学，评估了 Saraca asoca（Roxb.）Wilde.（豆科）甲醇提取物对佐剂诱导性关节炎的抗关节炎作用。结果发现，S. asoca 甲醇提取物在 50、100 和 200mg/kg 剂量下可减少爪厚度并升高关节炎大鼠的平均体重。S. asoca 的治疗可显著降低血浆和肝脏溶酶体酶的水平。S. asoca 甲醇提取物的治疗还可显著降低蛋白结合碳水化合物和尿胶原含量。关节的组织病理学研究表明，S. asoca 具有抗关节炎特性，几乎使关节的组织学结构正常化。此外，我们通过测量关节炎和治疗大鼠中的细胞因子水平，确定了 S. asoca 甲醇提取物的抗关节炎活性。S. asoca 的治疗可降低促炎细胞因子的水平。总之，S. asoca 甲醇提取物能够改善佐剂诱导性关节炎大鼠的关节炎状况。
