• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.97-114
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• 2011

Objectives : The object of this study is to observe the favorable anti arthritic effects of Sowhalrack-dan($Xi\check{a}ohu\acute{o}lu\grave{o}-d\bar{a}n$)(SWRD), which has been traditionally used in Korean medicine to treat rheumatoid arthritis on Freund's complete adjuvant(FCA) induced arthritic Wistar rats. Methods : Rheumatoid arthritis was induced by intradermal injection of FCA(10 mg in 1 ml paraffin oil 0.1 ml/rats). Each of 8 rats showing regular ankle circumferences per group were selected in 14 days after FCA treatment to confirm the induction of rheumatoid arthritis. 300, 150 or 75 mg/kg of SWRD was orally administered once a day for 14 days from 14 days after FCA treatments. Dexamethasone was intraperitoneally administered 15 mg/kg, once a day for 14 days from 14 days after FCA treatments. Rats were sacrificed after 14 days of continuous oral treatment of SWRD or intraperitoneal administration of dexamethasone, and changes were observed; the body weight, knee circumferences, gross arthritis score, inflammatory tissue $prostaglandin(PG)E_2$ levels and cartilage collagen, glucosaminoglycans compositions - chondroitin sulphate, heparin sulphate and hyaluronic acid in the present study. Results : As results of FCA treatment, classic rheumatoid arthritis featuring dramatical decreases on the body weights, cartilage collagen contents and bone glucosaminoglycans - chondroitin sulphate, heparin sulphate and hyaluronic acid contents. Also, it increases the knee circumferences, gross arthritis scores and inflammatory tissue $PGE_2$ levels. However, these changes from FCA induced rheumatoid arthritis were clearly reduced due to the dexamethasone and both two different dosages of SWRD, 300 and 150 mg/kg in the present study. Although FCA induced arthritis were more favorably inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone 15 mg/kg compared to SWRD 300 mg/kg, marked decreases of body weights were detected in dexamethasone 15 mg/kg treated rats. Conclusions : The results obtained in this study suggest that over 150 mg/kg of SWRD showed favorable anti-arthritic effects on the FCA induced arthritis mediated by suppression of $PGE_2$. However, detailed mechanism studies are needed with the screening of the biological active compounds in SWRD. Although FCA induced arthritis were more favorably inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone 15 mg/kg compared to SWRD 300 mg/kg, marked decreases of body weights were detected in dexamethasone 15 mg/kg treated rats, in the present study.