title: Inhibition by Artocarpus tonkinensis of the development of collagen-induced arthritis in rats.
abstract: Extracts of the leaves and roots from the tree Artocarpus tonkinensis A Cheval (family Moraceae) are used in traditional Vietnamese medicine in order to treat backache as well as rheumatic joint diseases. We prepared an ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract from this plant and tested its anti-inflammatory properties in an experimental arthritis model, collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CIA was induced in Dark Agouti rats by means of immunization with collagen type II (CII) emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. Starting at the day of immunization, the rats were treated daily with intraperitoneal injections of Artocarpus extract. Arthritis progression was measured by means of clinical scoring of paws and anti-CII antibody titres were measured by means of ELISA. In vitro, lymph node (LN) cell cultures were treated with Artocarpus extract and the apoptosis-inducing effect was determined with FACS staining by using annexin V and propidium iodide as well as the TUNEL method. Treatment of the rats with Artocarpus extract decreased arthritis incidence and severity and delayed disease onset. When treatment was started after the onset of arthritis, a tendency towards arthritis amelioration was observed. In vitro, Artocarpus extract acted as a T-cell modulator, inhibiting mitogen-induced T-cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis of activated LN-derived lymphocytes. Thus, we have demonstrated that an EtOAc extract of Artocarpus, a plant traditionally used in Vietnamese folk medicine for treating arthritic conditions, has beneficial effects in an experimental arthritis model. This effect is likely to be T cell-dependent and mediated through apoptosis induction in activated cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Rheumatology Research Unit, Centre of Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: D D T
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Ngoc
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Catrina
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Anh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D031622:Artocarpus; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014744:Vietnam
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010936:Plant Extracts