title: [Therapeutic effect of nux vomica total alkali gel on adjuvants arthritis rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the therapeutic effect and mechanism of nux vomica total alkali gel (NVTAG) on adjuvants arthritis (AA) rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  SD rats were randomly divided into nine groups: the normal group, the AA model group, NVTAG high, middle and low-dose (25, 12.5, 6.25 mg x kg(-1)) groups and the Votalin control (diclofenac diethylamine emulgel, 50 mg x kg(-1)) group. Except for the normal group, the remaining groups were transcutaneously administered with 0.1 mL freund's adjuvant complete (FCA) for inflammation in left rear feet and then evenly treated with medicine and packed with oilpapers. The foot volume method was adopted to determine foot swelling degree, with pain scoring and polyarthritis scoring. HE staining was used to observe arthro-pathologic injury. The content of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) and vascular epidermal growth factor (VEGF) in synovium homogenates were measured by enzyme-linked immuno-absorbent assay (ELISA) respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the model group, NVTAG and control gel can obviously reduce the foot swelling degree, polyarthritis indicators and relieve arthro-pathologic injury in AA rats (17-21 d). The levels of IL-1, PGE2, IL-6, VEGF and TNF-alpha in synovial homogenates of AA rats were also reduced by NVTAG significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NVTAG shows an antergic effect on AA progress in rats, which is closely related to inhibition of development of inflammatory mediator.
authors.affiliation: Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100091, China.
authors.forename: Yongqiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Zhenzhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jianxun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000468:Alkalies; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis; D005782:Gels; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D031461:Strychnos nux-vomica
chemical_list: D000468:Alkalies; D016207:Cytokines; D005782:Gels