title: Suppressive effects of total alkaloids of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides on adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides is a folk medicine used to treat inflammation-associated diseases including rheumatoid arthritis in South China. Since the major secondary metabolites in Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides are alkaloids, the present study aims to investigate the suppressive effects of total alkaloids of Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides (ALC) on adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  AA was induced (day 0) in male Sprague-Dawley rats by intradermal injection of complete Freund׳s adjuvant (CFA) in right hind footpad. Diclofenac sodium (SD) was chosen as the positive drug. SD (10mg/kg) and ALC (20 and 40 mg/kg) administration started from day 1 and continued for 28 days. Paw swelling, arthritis scores, and histopathological changes were evaluated. In addition, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), as well as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB expressions in joint synovial tissues were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALC administration significantly suppressed the inflammatory responses in the joints of AA rats. It also decreased the serum levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and PGE2. Moreover, Western blot analysis showed that COX-2 and NF-κB expressions in synovial tissues of AA rats were significantly reduced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated that ALC prevented the pathological development of AA in rats. ALC may be a potential candidate for the treatment of inflammation and arthritis.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Wen-Hua
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, PR China. Electronic address: cpu_lykong@126.com.
authors.forename: Ling-Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D029542:Lycopodiaceae; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015850:Interleukin-6; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C489691:Ptgs2 protein, rat; D015232:Dinoprostone
keywords: Adjuvant arthritis; Alkaloid; Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides; Rheumatoid arthritis