Antibody-induced foot oedema, hyperalgesia and monoarticular arthritis in rats, guinea-pigs and rabbits for testing anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic agents.

To develop a simple and convenient test based on immunologic events that can be used for testing anti-inflammatory antiarthritic drugs, experiments were performed on rabbits, guinea-pigs and rats. A monoarticular arthritis was provoked injecting a knee joint with: (a) ovalbumin or bovin serum albumin (BSA) in immunized rabbits (active immunization); (b) rabbit anti-BSA serum in rabbits previously treated i.v. with BSA (passive immunization); (c) rabbit anti-guinea-pig or anti-rat serum in normal guinea-pigs and rats. The diameter of the joint was measured with a caliper. The development of the joint swelling was found to be favourably influenced by anti-inflammatory drugs given orally or intra-articularly. The test was considered suitable but not practical for testing a large number of compounds. Foot oedema and hyperalgesia were provoked by injecting rabbit anti-rat serum into the food pad of normal rats. Volume and sensitivity to a nociceptive stimulation (compression) were determined. Steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and miscellaneous drugs were tested orally in a preventive-type schedule of treatment. The test was found suitable for testing large number of compounds. The results were compared to the results obtained testing the same compounds against foot oedema and hyperalgesia provoked by carrageenan. Some of the drugs tested modified foot swelling and hyperalgesia differently in the two experimental models of inflammation.