Anti-inflammatory, and anti-arthritic effects by the twigs of Cinnamomum cassia on complete Freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThe young branches of C. cassia Blume (Cinnamomi Ramulus; Guizhi; 桂枝; C. cassia twigs) have long been used as an anti-pyretic, anti-rheumatic, anti-spasmodic and stomachic in traditional medicine. Aim of the studyThe aim of this study was to test the anti-inflammatory, anti-nociceptive, and anti-arthritic effects of Cinnamomum cassia twigs in acute and chronic arthritis rats. Materials and methodsSubcutaneous injection of carrageenan for acute inflammation and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) for chronic arthritis was carried out in the hind paw of SD rats. The paw volume was measured by a plethysmometer; thermal hyperalgesia was tested using a thermal plantar tester; hyperalgesia was evaluated by ankle flexion evoked vocalizations. The c-Fos expression in the lumbar spinal cord was measured with the avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. The nitric oxide (NO) generation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells was tested by Griess assay. Results and discussionAn 80% ethanoic extract of the C. cassia twigs exhibited chronic anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities by reducing the edema volume in the paws of CFA-induced chronic arthritis in rats. In addition, it showed analgesic effects through the recovery of the paw withdrawal latency stimulated by thermal hyperalgesia, and suppressing the vocalization scores evoked by ankle flexion in the hind paws of the arthritis rats. It also controlled c-Fos expression in the lumbar spinal cord of the arthritis rats. Moreover, the addition its 80%-ethanoic extract, specifically, its ethyl acetate fraction, powerfully suppressed the paw swelling in carrageenan-stimulated arthritis and the NO production in LPS-induced murine immune cells. ConclusionC. cassia twigs may act as a viably sufficient therapeutic or preventive candidate for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; additionally, it could prevent gastrointestinal damage with its gastric protection.