title: Anti-inflammatory effect of Euphorbia hirta in an adjuvant-induced arthritic murine model.
abstract: Despite extensive research into inflammatory diseases to date, no drugs with favourable safety profiles are available for treatment. Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta) is a tree that is locally used as a traditional medicine in Africa and Australia to treat numerous diseases such as hypertension, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential anti-arthritic effects of E. hirta in mouse models of adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA). We treated BALB/c mice with (p.o.) E. hirta (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) daily (13 days) beginning at the onset of AIA. We examined the effect of E. hirta on key mediators of arthritic-inflammation, including pro-inflammatory (IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4 and IL-5) cytokines, T-cell activation markers (CD25/CD69), and co-stimulatory molecules (CD80/CD86). We also examined the inflammatory mediators (PGE2 and LTB4) response. E. hirta-treated mice showed a substantial reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, down regulated cell activation markers and co-stimulatory molecules, and up regulated anti-inflammatory cytokines. E. hirta decreased the levels of inflammatory-mediators in AIA animals. Supplementation with an E. hirta extract may be a promising treatment for arthritic and inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University , PO Box 11451, Riyadh , Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Sheikh Fayaz
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Sabry M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: Saleh A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bakheet
authors.forename: Abdelkader E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ashour
authors.forename: Khairy M A
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Zoheir
authors.forename: Adel R A
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Abd-Allah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D028481:Euphorbia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009821:Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010232:Paraffin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D009821:Oils; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010232:Paraffin; C015418:paraffin oils