[Effects of Xinfeng Capsule on behaviors and myocardial ultrastructure in adjuvant arthritis rats].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effects of Xinfeng Capsule (XFC), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, on behaviors and myocardial ultrastructure in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats.


METHODS
Fifty-five rats were randomly divided into normal control group, untreated group, methotrexate (MTX) group, Tripterygium wilfordii glycosides tablet (TGT) group and XFC group. There were 11 rats in each group. Except for those in the normal control group, the rats in the other groups were all intracutaneously given 0.1 ml Freund's complete adjuvant in the right hind limb. Changes of behaviors and myocardial ultrastructure of the rats in different groups were observed.


RESULTS
Voix pedis' swelling and arthritis index in XFC, MTX and TPT groups were all obviously improved as compared with the untreated group. After XFC treatment, the autonomic activities were obviously increased, number of errors in exercise period and test period were obviously decreased, step-down latency (SDL) was lengthened and escape latency (EL) was shortened. Overall structure of myocardial myofibril and the majority of cristae was intact in XFC group. The effects of XFC in improving the behaviors and myocardial ultrastructure were better than those of MTX and TPT.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes of behaviour and myocardial ultrastructure of AA rats can be observed. XFC can improve the myocardial ultrastructure of AA rats as well as their behaviors.
Department of Rheumatology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province 230031, China. liujianahzy@yahoo.com.cn
Jian
J
Liu
Xue-fang
XF
Yu
Rui-kai
RK
Zong
D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D002214:Capsules; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C533622:xinfeng; D005620:Freund's Adjuvant