Ameliorative Effects of a Polyphenolic Fraction of Cinnamomum zeylanicum L. bark in Animal Models of Inflammation and Arthritis

Badal Rathi

doi:10.3797/scipharm.1301-16

Abstract

Cinnamon bark (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Syn C. verum, family: Lauraceae) is one of the oldest traditional medicines for inflammatory- and pain-related disorders. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of the polyphenol fraction from Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark (CPP) in animal models of inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis. Dose-response studies of CPP (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) used in a separate set of in vivo experiments were conducted in acute (carrageenan-induced rat paw edema), subacute (cotton pellet-induced granuloma), and sub-chronic (AIA, adjuvant-induced established polyarthrtis) models of inflammation in rats and the acetic acid-induced writhing model of pain in mice. Effects of CPP on cytokine (IL-2, IL-4, and IFNγ) release from Concanavalin (ConA)-stimulated lymphocytes were also evaluated in vitro. CPP showed a strong and dose-dependent reduction in paw volume, weight loss reversal effects against carrageenan-induced paw edema, and cotton pellet-induced granuloma models in rats. CPP (200 mg/kg p.o. for 10 days) showed a significant reduction in elevated serum TNF-α concentration without causing gastric ulcerogenicity in the AIA model in rats. CPP also demonstrated mild analgesic effects during acute treatment as evidenced by the reduction in the writhing and paw withdrawal threshold of the inflamed rat paw during the acetic acid-induced writhing model and Randall-Selitto test. CPP was found to inhibit cytokine (IL-2, IL-4, and IFNγ) release from ConA-stimulated lymphocytes in vitro. In conclusion, CPP demonstrated prominent action in animal models of inflammation and arthritis and therefore can be considered as a potential anti-rheumatic agent with disease-modifying action.

Highlights

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting freely movable joints, such as hand, knee, and shoulder joints
The HPLC spectra showed the presence of polyphenols with a similar absorption pattern to procyanidines with two bands of maximum absorption around a retention time of 30 to 38 min, which matches with the trimer and tetramer of proanthocyanidins polyphenols as reported earlier [16] and suggests the predominance of polyphenolic compounds in CPP (Fig. 1)
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and corticosteroids appear to be highly efficient drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, they may cause side effects that can range in severity from mild to serious

Summary

Introduction

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease affecting freely movable joints, such as hand, knee, and shoulder joints. The symptoms of active RA include pain, swelling, morning stiffness, warmth, redness, and limited functioning of the joints. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, autoimmunity plays a pivotal role in both its chronicity and progression, and RA is considered to be a systemic autoimmune disease. Existing treatment therapies for RA usually focus on anti-inflammatory activity. They help to manage the process of inflammation and may help in the repair process. The search for safer drugs for the management of rheumatoid arthritis for chronic use is still on

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