Affiliation:
1. General Clinical Research Center, Ordos School of Clinical Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University , Inner Mongolia, Ordos 017000 , China
2. Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Target Identification, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College , Beijing 100050 , China
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) seriously affects the daily life of people. The whole plant of Artemisia ordosica Krasch. (AOK) has been used in folk medicine. This study aimed to investigate the in vivo anti-RA effects of AOK extract (AOKE) on collagen-induced arthritis in rats.
Methods
AOKE (400, 200, or 100 mg/kg) was administered orally to animals for 30 days. Body weight, paw swelling, arthritis index, thymus, and spleen indices, and pathological changes were assessed for effects of AOKE on RA. Furthermore, the inflammatory cytokines in rat serum were detected. In addition, the expressions of STAT3, Caspase-3, Galectin-3, and S100A9 in synovial tissue were researched using immunohistochemistry.
Key findings
The AOKE significantly reduced the arthritis indices, paw swelling, spleen, and thymus indices. Meanwhile, AOKE (400 mg/kg) decreased the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, and increased the level of IL-10 in rat serum. Histopathological examination showed that AOKE reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and cartilage erosion. Then, AOKE decreased the expressions of STAT3, Galectin-3, S100A9, and increased the expression of Caspase-3.
Conclusion
AOKE had interesting anti-RA activity in rats, which deserved further research for the development and clinical use of this medicinal resource.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Guiding Local Scientific and Technological Development
Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)