The Anti-inflammatory and Anti-arthritis Activity of Garcinia travancorica in a Rat Model: A Proof of Concept with Computational Studies.

Abstract

Background Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive disease of human joints characterized by severe pain, stiffness, and tissue damage at the local site. Bone and cartilaginous tissue damage at the synovial joints is initiated by the production of autoantibody induced by inflammatory signaling through cytokines. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Garcinia travancorica against acute and chronic inflammation in a rat model after designing the ligand library and target identification using computational analysis. Methods Acute inflammation was induced by carrageen, and chronic inflammation was induced by Freund's complete adjuvant in the plantar surface of the rats. The petroleum ether, ethanolic, and aqueous extracts in three divided doses (75 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg) were administered orally. Diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg), prednisolone (5 mg/kg), and methotrexate (0.5 mg/kg) were used as standard. Various parameters were evaluated, and statistical significance between means was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Dunnett's multiple range test. Results: Docking-based in-silico screening of the ligand library has revealed the potential of Polyanxanthone-C as an anti-rheumatoid agent, which is supposed to deliver its therapeutic effect by synergistic targeting of interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor receptor type-1. Conclusion: This plant has the potential to be used in the treatment of arthritis-related disorders.