Anti-arthritic effects of Ephedra sinica STAPF herb-acupuncture: inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation and adjuvant-induced polyarthritis.
Anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic effects of water distillates of Ephedra sinica STAPF (ES), in herb-acupuncture, on the inflammatory responses of arthritis was investigated using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human macrophage and adjuvant-induced arthritic rat. The luciferase reporter vectors driven by the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 promoters were transiently transfected into U937 cells, which were then differentiated and stimulated by PMA and LPS, respectively, to develop an in vitro anti-inflammation assay system. The luciferase activities, observed in the activated U937 cells, were significantly inhibited by ES herb-acupuncture, compared to those of PD98509 and berberine. To evaluate ES herb-acupuncture as a novel anti-arthritic therapy, a polyarthritic rat model was developed using heat-killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 50 mul of ES distillate was subcutaneously injected into the ST36 acupoint on each knee joint. While the articular indexes of arthritic rats were evidently decreased by ES herb-acupuncture, their body weights did not regain their initial levels. This may be due to the accelerating effects of ES on weight-loss and fat consumption. The mRNA expressions of TNF-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 genes, which were closely stimulated in the arthritic rat joints, were found to be restored to the normal levels through the ES treatment. In the case of IL-1beta, the recovery was not significant but substantial. The anti-arthritic effect of ES herb-acupuncture was not found in the ES-treated/non-acupoint group. In conclusion, the ES herb-acupuncture into the ST36 acupoint was found to be effective in alleviating the inflammatory response and thus arthritic symptoms in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats.
Yeom
Mi-Jung
MJ
Laboratory of Acupuncture & Meridian, Department of Oriental Medical Science, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung-Hee University, Kyungki-do, Korea.
Lee
Han-Chang
HC
Kim
Gun-Ho
GH
Lee
Hye-Jung
HJ
Shim
Insop
I
Oh
Seung-Kyu
SK
Kang
Sung-Keel
SK
Hahm
Dae-Hyun
DH
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D029790:Ephedra sinica; D005260:Female; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D014162:Transfection; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020298:U937 Cells
D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2