[The complementarity of pharmacologic action between Tripterygium wilfordii and prednisone].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of Tripterygium wilfordii (TW) and prednisone on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in adjuvant arthritis (AA).

METHODS

Experimental rats were divided into five groups at random, namely the normal group, model group, TW group, prednisone group and alternative group. Rats were given and intradermal injection of complete Freun d's adjuvant in right hind paws to induce adjuvant arthritis. The levels of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol, adrenal weights and pathological changes were studied at the end of experiment.

RESULTS

The levels of plasma ACTH and cortisol and adrenal weights in TW group were significantly higher than those in normal group. On the contrary, decreased plasma ACTH and cortisol levels and atrophic adrenal cortex were observed in prednisone group. The levels of plasma ACTH and cortisol and adrenal weights in alternative group were not significantly different from those in normal group.

CONCLUSION

TW may play anti-inflammatory role by the activation of the HPA axis, and alternative application of TW and prednisone could keep the normal function of HPA axis, they were complementary to each other.