Abstract
BackgroundRheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease, affects sufferers in many different ways. Treatment of this chronic condition is particularly challenging. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides alternatives. Bizhongxiao decoction (BZX) is a TCM complex, which has been used clinically for many years to treat RA. The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of BZX decoction and its dismantled formulae on IL-1 and TNF-1 levels in rats with RA, and to elucidate its mechanism of action.MethodsNinety healthy normal female SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: normal (control), model, BZX decoction, and the three dismantled formulae (I: heat-clearing and detoxication, II: dissipating dampness, and III: blood circulation promotion). Apart from the normal (control) group, the rats in each group were injected subcutaneously with bovine type II collagen and complete Freund adjuvant to establish a collagen-induced arthritis model, so that inhibition of foot swelling in the rats by BZX decoction and its dismantled formulae could be observed. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1 and TNF in synovial joints at various time points.ResultsTwenty-one days after the model was established, the levels of TNF and IL-1 were significantly higher in the model group, BZX decoction group and dismantled formula groups I, II and III than in the normal controls (P < 0.05). The levels of these cytokines were significantly higher in the model group than the BZX decoction or the three dismantled formula groups (P <0.01). At longer times, the TNF and IL-1 levels in model group rose gradually; those in the BZX decoction and dismantled formula groups were gradually reduced. The cytokine levels in the BZX decoction group were lower than in the three dismantled formula groups and continued to decline.ConclusionsBZX decoction and the three dismantled formulae examined down-regulated the inflammatory factors IL-1 and TNF in collagen-induced arthritis rat models, but BZX exerted the strongest effect.
Highlights
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease, affects sufferers in many different ways
In addition to joint pain and inflammation, people with RA may suffer fatigue, occasional fevers, and a general sense of not feeling well [1,2]. This type of arthritis is usually triggered by a viral infection or by an autoimmune malfunction that can be attributed to many different causes
We investigated the mechanism of action of Bizhongxiao decoction (BZX) and its dismantled formulae in RA treatment and its effect on the IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) levels in a type II collagen-induced rat arthritis model
Summary
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic autoimmune disease, affects sufferers in many different ways Treatment of this chronic condition is challenging. In addition to joint pain and inflammation, people with RA may suffer fatigue, occasional fevers, and a general sense of not feeling well [1,2] This type of arthritis is usually triggered by a viral infection or by an autoimmune malfunction that can be attributed to many different causes. Treatment of this chronic condition is challenging because it is a systemic disease that usually affects multiple joints, and a variety of immunocompetent cells, cytokines, and inflammatory mediators are activated and participate in the pathogenic process. The exact reason why they are effective is not currently well understood
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