[Effect of bizhongxiao decotion on TNF-alpha and interleukin-1beta in plasma of rats with C II-induced rheumatoid arthritis].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the influence of bizhongxiao decotion (BZXD) on the plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in rats with C II-induced arthritis (CIA) and to explore the mechanism of BZXD in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.


METHODS
We divided 75 rats into 4 groups randomly. The rat experimented arthritis model was established by subcutaneous injection with collagen II. The plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels were detected with the radio-immunity assay at different time spots.


RESULTS
The incidence of arthritis in the rats immunized with C II was approximately 88%. The plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels of the model group, BZXD group and methotrexate (MTX) group were notably higher than those of the normal group (P < 0.05). The plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels of the model group were higher than those of the MTX control group and BZXD treatment group at different time spots (P < 0. 01). The plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels rose step by step, but those of the BZXD group and MTX group decreased gradually. Moreover, the plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels of the rats of BZXD group were lower than those of the MTX group (P < 0. 05).


CONCLUSIONS
TNF-alpha and IL-1beta play a very important role in the formation and development of rheumatoid arthritis. Both BZXD and MTX can notably decrease the plasma TNF-alpha and IL-1beta levels, but the effect of BZXD is better than that of MTX.
Wang
An-Yu
AY
Institute of Combined Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China.
Liang
Qing-Hu
QH
Chen
Jiang
J
Luo
Xu
X
Li
Chun-Yan
CY
Bao
Da-Cheng
DC
Tang
Tian-Feng
TF
Tan
Yong
Y
D000818:Animals; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced; D024043:Collagen Type II; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D024043:Collagen Type II; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha