[Hydrolytic enzymes in biological fluids and skeletal muscle of rats with adjuvant arthritis].

Activities of several hydrolases were studied in blood serum, synovial fluid and musculus femoris of rats with adjuvant arthritis. Alterations in activity of some hydrolases in blood serum were investigated after treatment of animals with nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs (indometacin, aspirin, bruphene), prednisolone or after the treatment with immunodepressants (imurane, D-penicillamine) and theophylline. Distinct activation of several lysosomal enzymes was observed in rats with arthritis: acidic cathepsins and beta-D-glucuronidase--in all the samples studied; beta-D-galactosidase--in synovial fluid and musculus femoris; hyaluronidase--in synovial fluid and blood serum as well as alpha-D-galactosidase and arylsulfatases (A + B)--in the latter. Activation of these enzymes was accompanied by a decrease in activity of other hydrolases: beta-D-glucosidase, hyaluronidase and alpha-D-galactosidase--in musculus femoris; alpha-D- and beta-D-glucosidases--in blood serum. In treatment of the impaired rats aspirin was the most effective drug, bruphene was less effective. Only theophylline among the drugs studied activated distinctly alpha-D-glucosidase in blood serum. Combination of nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs (like aspirin and bruphene) with theophylline was apparently the most suitable way for treatment of arthritis under the experimental conditions.