Kim Sung Wook, Lee Jun Ho, Kim Hyeonjin, Lee Seong Hoon, Jeong Dajeong, Kim Hyuk Soon, Lee Cheol-Jung, Kim Dae Yong, Yook Tae Han, Yang Gabsik
Department of Korean Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Woosuk University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Natural Science and Department of Health Sciences, The Graduate School of Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
J Pharmacopuncture. 2022 Dec 31;25(4):396-403. doi: 10.3831/KPI.2022.25.4.396.
Gout is an inflammatory arthritis of the joints and soft tissues occurring due to deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals, which are caused by persistent hyperuricemia. Soyeom pharmacopuncture is one treatment method that has been traditionally used for pain management in Oriental medicine. However, studies on its effect in reducing gout pain have been insufficient. Therefore, we selected Soyeom pharmacopuncture among natural products used in Korea as the new target of our study.
The effects of Soyeom pharmacopuncture were examined in mouse models of acute gout induced by injection of MSU crystals into footpads. IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α production were examined by immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as hallmarks of NLRP3 inflammasome and cytokine activation.
Soyeom pharmacopuncture reduced foot edema in gout-induced mice, as well as IL-1β, nitrite, IL-6, and TNF-α production. Moreover, Soyeom pharmacopuncture also reduced MSU-induced gout inflammatory gene expressions, specifically those in the NF-kB pathway.
Pharmacopuncture may serve as a new solution for other inflammatory diseases as well. Through active follow-up studies, we could thoroughly understand the clinical value of Soyeom pharmacopuncture.
痛风是一种由于单钠尿酸盐(MSU)晶体沉积引起的关节和软组织炎症性关节炎,而MSU晶体是由持续性高尿酸血症导致的。芍药药针是传统上用于东方医学疼痛管理的一种治疗方法。然而,关于其减轻痛风疼痛效果的研究尚不充分。因此,我们在韩国使用的天然产物中选择芍药药针作为本研究的新靶点。
通过向小鼠足垫注射MSU晶体诱导急性痛风模型,研究芍药药针的效果。通过免疫印迹和酶联免疫吸附测定法检测白细胞介素-1β(IL-1β)、白细胞介素-6(IL-6)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)的产生,作为NLRP3炎性小体和细胞因子激活的标志。
芍药药针减轻了痛风诱导小鼠的足部水肿,以及IL-1β、亚硝酸盐、IL-6和TNF-α的产生。此外,芍药药针还降低了MSU诱导的痛风炎症基因表达,特别是NF-κB途径中的那些基因表达。
药针也可能成为其他炎症性疾病的新解决方案。通过积极的随访研究,我们可以全面了解芍药药针的临床价值。