Suppression of carrageenan-induced inflammation in vivo by an extract of the Chinese herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F.
OBJECTIVE
The current studies investigated the effect of subacute administration of an ethyl acetate extract of the Chinese herbal remedy, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF) on the inflammatory response induced by carrageenan in the rat.


METHODS
F344 rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of seven animals.


METHODS
The rats were treated orally for 5 days with either vehicle or an ethyl acetate extract of TWHF at a dose of 270 mg/kg, equivalent to 1/5 of the dose causing death in 50% of the animals.


METHODS
Air pouches were induced subcutaneously on the backs of rats and injected with carrageenan on the last day of treatment. Sixteen hours after carrageenan challenge, the air pouches were removed and analyzed. Student's t-test was employed for statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The number of exudate cells and the concentration of PGE2, nitrite and TNF-alpha in the exudate obtained from TWHF-treated animals were significantly reduced (by 69%, 78%, 57% and 77%, respectively) compared to that from vehicle-treated animals. mRNA for cyclooxygenase-2 was markedly suppressed in the air pouch lining tissue of TWHF treated rats (p < 0.001). In contrast, PGE2 content of the kidney and stomach and the production of PGE2, nitrite and TNF-alpha by spleen cells was not affected by treatment with TWHF.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that TWHF exerts a significant anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Tao
X
X
Harold C. Simmons Arthritis Research Center, Dallas, TX 75235-8884, USA.
Ma
L
L
Mao
Y
Y
Lipsky
P E
PE
D000085:Acetates; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002351:Carrageenan; D002460:Cell Line; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000166:cytology; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000201:enzymology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D000085:Acetates; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009573:Nitrites; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C007650:ethyl acetate; D002351:Carrageenan; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; C496513:Ptgs1 protein, rat; D015232:Dinoprostone