title: Antioxidant effects of Genkwa flos flavonoids on Freund׳s adjuvant-induced rheumatoid arthritis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genkwa flos (Daphne genkwa Sieb. et Zucc.), a Chinese herbal medicine, has been traditionally used for over two thousand years in China for inflammation related symptoms, including joint pain. To evaluate the antioxidative effects of flavonoid aglycones (FA) isolated from Genkwa flos on adjuvant arthritis in rats and to identify the relationship between antioxidant potential and whole blood viscosity (WBV).
  
  
  METHODS
  FA compounds were identified using LC-MS and the content was assayed by HPLC. Arthritis was induced by an intradermal injection of Freund׳s complete adjuvant in the footpad. The effects of FA on paw volumes, secondary arthritis scores, histopathology of joints, and body and organ weights were measured. The antioxidant effects of FA and WBV were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LC-MS analysis showed that the FA contained four major compounds: luteolin, apigenin, hydroxygenkwanin and genkwanin. FA significantly decreased paw edema, arthritis scores, and weight loss. These observations were consistent with the reduction of oxidative stress and the improvement of the WBV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FA significantly decreased arthritis in a rat model through antioxidant and hemorheological modulatory mechanisms. The Genkwa flos flavonoids may have clinical potential for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China; Tang Center of Herbal Medicine and Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago 60637, USA. Electronic address: zhchf67@uchicago.edu.
authors.forename: Chun-Feng
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Su-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210000, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmacodynamic Constituents of TCM and New Drugs Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Chinese Materia Medica, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China.
authors.forename: Bao-Qin
authors.initials: BQ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Cui-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Tang Center of Herbal Medicine and Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Chun-Hao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Lin
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Tang Center of Herbal Medicine and Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Chong-Zhi
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24 Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Tang Center of Herbal Medicine and Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, University of Chicago, Chicago 60637, USA.
authors.forename: Chun-Su
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D032364:Daphne / Q000737:chemistry; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase
keywords: Antioxidant; Apigenin (PubChem CID: 5280443); Flavonoid aglycone; Genkwa flos; Genkwanin (PubChem CID: 5281617); Hemorheology; Hydroxygenkwanin (PubChem CID: 5320946); Luteolin (PubChem CID: 5280445); Rheumatoid arthritis