Efficacy of parenteral administration of bee venom in experimental arthritis in the rat: a comparison with methotrexate.
The use of bee venom (BV) to treat inflammation and pain in arthritis has become increasingly common. This study aimed to compare the effects of BV and methotrexate (MTX), the most used disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, in arthritic rats. Edema, erythema, cyanosis, hyperalgesia, reduction of the body mass gain, high circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and anti-type II collagen antibodies (AACII), and altered activity of basic (APB) and neutral (APN) aminopeptidases and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) are present in arthritic rats. MTX and/or BV do not affect AACII in healthy or arthritic individuals, but restores TNF-α to normal levels in arthritic rats. BV restores body mass gain to normal levels and MTX ameliorates body mass gain. BV contains DPPIV. BV restores APN in synovial fluid (SF) and in soluble fraction (S) from synovial tissue (ST), and DPPIV in solubilized membrane-bound fraction (M) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). MTX restores APN of SF, as well as ameliorates APB of S-PBMCs, APN of S-ST and DPPIV of M-PBMCs. The combination therapy does not overcome the effects of BV or MTX alone on the peptidase activities. Edema is ameliorated by MTX or BV alone. MTX, but not BV, is effective in reducing hyperalgesia. Data show that anti-arthritic effects of BV at non-acupoints are not negligible when compared with MTX.
Laboratory of Pharmacology, Unit of Translational Endocrine Physiology and Pharmacology, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500 Vital Brasil, CEP 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Interdepartmental Biotechnology Program at Instituto Butantan and Universidade de Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, Edifício ICB III, Cidade Universitária, CEP 05508-900, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Simone C
SC
Yamasaki
Laboratory of Pharmacology, Unit of Translational Endocrine Physiology and Pharmacology, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500 Vital Brasil, CEP 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Mariana T
MT
Mendes
Laboratory of Pharmacology, Unit of Translational Endocrine Physiology and Pharmacology, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500 Vital Brasil, CEP 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Rafaela F
RF
Alponti
Laboratory of Pharmacology, Unit of Translational Endocrine Physiology and Pharmacology, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil 1500 Vital Brasil, CEP 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: paulo.silveira@butantan.gov.br.
Paulo F
PF
Silveira
D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001514:Bee Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018826:CD13 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D003490:Cyanosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000188:drug therapy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001514:Bee Venoms; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000626:Aminopeptidases; D018826:CD13 Antigens; C019721:aminopeptidase B; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4; D008727:Methotrexate
Aminopeptidase; Animal venom; Bee venom; Complementary and alternative medicine; Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug; Experimental arthritis