Anti-arthritic effect of ginsenoside Rb1 on collagen induced arthritis in mice.
BACKGROUND
The development of orally bioavailable, inexpensive inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is desirable for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).


OBJECTIVE
To show the efficacy of ginsenoside Rb1 (G-Rb1), a ginseng extract, on the inhibition of TNF-alpha upregulation and on the inhibition of collagen induced arthritis (CIA).


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), chondrocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) were stimulated with interferon(IFN)-gamma, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or interleukin-1 in the presence or absence of G-Rb1. The concentrations of (TNF)-alpha in the culture supernatants were determined by ELISA. CIA was induced in DBA/1J mice and G-Rb1 was prophylactically administered from day 20 until day 39 following immunization. Histopathologic changes were scored, and the expression of TNF-alpha was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
G-Rb1 significantly inhibited TNF-alpha upregulation in PBMCs, FLS and chondrocytes induced by IFN-gamma, LPS or IL-1. Administration of G-Rb1 resulted in a significant amelioration of the clinical arthritis score in the CIA mice. Histology revealed that G-Rb1 reduced cell infiltration and cartilage destruction in the arthritic joint, which was accompanied by a significant decrease in TNF-alpha expression.


CONCLUSIONS
The utilization of G-Rb1 is a feasible approach to the treatment of RA or other diseases characterized by upregulation of TNF-alpha.
Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Anyang, Republic of Korea. kimha@hallym.ac.kr
Hyun Ah
HA
Kim
Suho
S
Kim
Sun Hwa
SH
Chang
Hea Jun
HJ
Hwang
Young-nim
YN
Choi
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D005894:Panax / Q000737:chemistry; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D036145:Ginsenosides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C442759:ginsenoside Rb1