Suppressive effects of Stephania tetrandra on the neutrophil function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Crude preparations of Stephania tetrandra (ST), a traditional herbal medicine, have been used safely for arthritis and silicosis in China. The concentration of granulocyte elastase - alpha 1 protease inhibitor complex in plasma is enhanced in inflammatory processes, e.g. in septicaemia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), being an expression of granulocyte activation during inflammatory response. It has previously been reported that ST showed beneficial and immunomodulatory effects in the treatment of relatively mild RA. After the administration of ST for 12 weeks, the proportion of granulocytes and the granulocyte count in peripheral blood decreased significantly. The lipid peroxide and human granulocyte elastase levels of stored plasma declined significantly. Furthermore, both the leukocyte/elastase ratio and granulocyte/elastase ratio increased significantly. The findings of this study suggest that the suppressive effect of ST administration on excessive granulocyte activation resulted in the improvement of inflammation with rheumatoid arthritis.
Sekiya
Nobuyasu
N
Department of Japanese Oriental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sugitani 2630, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. s114@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp
Shimada
Yutaka
Y
Niizawa
Atsushi
A
Kogure
Toshiaki
T
Mantani
Naoki
N
Sakai
Shinya
S
Hikiami
Hiroaki
H
Terasawa
Katsutoshi
K
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D031609:Stephania tetrandra
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010936:Plant Extracts