title: Effects and mechanisms of Cryptotanshinone on rats with adjuvant arthritis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cryptotanshinone (CT) is the major active constituent of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of CT on rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA).
  
  
  METHODS
  AA was induced by the metatarsal footpad injection with complete Freund's adjuvant in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The secondary inflammatory reaction was evaluated by hind paw swelling and the polyarthritis index. Activity of interleukin-1 (IL-1) was detected by the concanavalin A-induced thymocytes proliferation assay. The lymphocytes proliferation and IL-2 production were assayed by 3-(4,5-2dimethylthiazal-2yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) and activated mouse splenocytes proliferation, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intragastric administration of CT (50 and 100 mg/kg) significantly decreased secondary inflammatory reactions and increased the spleen and thymus index. There was a marked immunologic and inflammatory response in the AA model, which was accompanied by the decrease of thymocyte proliferation and IL-2 production as well as the increase of IL-1 production. CT apparently enhanced thymocyte proliferation and decreased IL-1 production in AA rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that CT may exert its anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory effects through inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation and production of pro-inflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical College, Anhui University of Science and Technology, Huainan, Anhui 232001, China.
authors.forename: Fu-Lin
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060168:Thymocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C037886:cryptotanshinone