Effects of compound rhubarb powder on adjuvant arthritis in rats

Abstract:

Objective：To observe the effects of compound rhubarb powder on adjuvant arthritis（AA） rats. Methods：The experimental AA model was set up by intradermal injection of freund’s complete adjuvant（FCA）. Normal group，control group，voltaren-treated group and compound rhubarb powder-treated group were established with twelve in each group.The swollen volume of rats’ claw was calculated by plantar circumference method. The morphology of ankle joint was observed under light microscopy. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） and interleukin-10（IL-10） in synovial fluid and blood serum and ankle joint were separately measured by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Results：After six weeks of treatment，compared with those of control group，the swollen volume of rats’ claw was significantly reduced（voltaren-treated group=3.32±0.10；compound rhubarb powder-treated group=3.35±0.07；F=491.02；P=0.00） in treatment group；the expression of TNF-α in blood serum（voltaren-treated group=77.32±2.65；compound rhubarb powder-treated group=75.90±1.95） and ankle joint（voltaren-treated group=4.83±0.30；compound rhubarb powder-treated group=4.83±0.30） was decreased（blood serum：F=1 115.61，P=0.00；ankle joint：F=122.39，P=0.00）；but the expression of IL-10（voltaren-treated group：blood serum=47.04±1.58，ankle joint=5.83±0.39；compound rhubarb powder-treated group：blood serum=46.06±2.03，ankle joint=5.50±0.36） was increased（blood serum：F=1 511.81，P=0.00；ankle joint：F=133.94，P=0.00）. There was no statisti－cal difference between voltaren-treated group and compound rhubarb powder-treated group in the swollen volume of rats’ claw and the ex－pression of TNF-α and IL-10（the swollen volume of claw：F=491.02，P=0.43；synovial fluid and blood serum：TNF-α：F=1 115.61，P=0.21；IL-10：F=1511.81，P=0.31；ankle joint：TNF-α：F=122.39，P=1.00；IL-10：F=133.94，P=0.50）. The inflammatory cells and pannus were reduced and articular cartilage was damaged less in each treatment group under light microscopy. Conclusion：Compound rhubarb powders can obviously decrease joint in－flammation of AA rats as voltaren.Its mechanism may be related with decreasing inflammatory factors（TNF-α） and increasing anti-inflammatory factors（IL-10） so as to eliminate joint swelling and reduce joint inflammation.