• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.127-143
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of Chaenomelis Fructus herbal-acupuncture solution (ChF-HAS) at the Joksamni ($ST_{36}$) on arthritis induced by Collagen II in mice. Methods : The author performed several experimental items. The severity of arthritis, changes of mouse weight, size of the spleen and the degree of stenosis, changes of cytokine level, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II, changes of immunocyte count, histological changes of the CIA mouse joint were analyzed and the conclusions are as follows. Results: 1. In the ChF-HA, the arthritis index, the incidence of arthritis, the degree of joint edema was significantly decreased. 2. In the ChF-HA, weight, spleen size and stenosis rate was low and maintained as the normal group was. 3. In the ChF-HA, cytokine level, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II were significantly decreased. 4. In the ChF-HA, on changes of immunocyte count were maintained to the levels of normal group. 5. In histological changes of the CIA mouse joint, the cartilage destruction and synovial cell proliferation were decreased. Conclusions: These results suggest that ChF-HA at the $ST_{36}$ has an important role to control the immune reactions and suppress inflammatory response on the collagen induced rheumatoid arthritis. This study can be a significant supporting evidence that ChF-HA is chosen to be the principal therapy for clinical practice of the rheumatoid arthritis in the future.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.81-97
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• 2007

Objective: The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of Cnidii Rhizoma herbal-acupuncture solution(CR-HAS) at Joksamni($ST_{36}$) on arthritis induced by Collagen II in mice. Methods : The author performed several experimental items. The severity of arthritis, changes of mouse weight, size of the spleen and the degree of stenosis, changes of cytokine level, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II, changes of immunocyte count, histological changes of the CIA mouse joint were analyzed. Results: 1. In the CR-HA, the arthritis index, the incidence of arthritis, the degree of joint edema was significantly decreased. 2. In the CR-HA, weight, spleen size and stenosis rate was low and maintained as the normal group was. 3. In the CR-HA, cytokine level, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II were significantly decreased. 4. In the CR-HA, on changes of immunocyte count were maintained to the levels of normal group. 5. In histological changes of the CIA mouse joint, the cartilage destruction and synovial cell proliferation were decreased. Conclusions : These results suggest that CR-HA at the $ST_{36}$ has an important role to control the immune reactions and suppress inflammatory response on the collagen induced rheumatoid arthritis. This study can be a significant supporting evidence that CR-HA will be chosen to be the principal therapy for clinical practice of the rheumatoid arthritis in the future.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.471-480
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• 2020

Background: The roots of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense (RCJ) have been used as traditional medicine in Korea for hematuria and hematemesis. These extracts exert anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects by scavenging for free radical and regulating the inflammatory response. However, the effect of RCJ on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been elucidated. Thus, we evaluated the water extract of RCJ (WRCJ) using type II collagen-induced RA models. Methods and Results: RA was induced by immunization with type II collagen. All experimental materials were orally administered daily for three weeks. The positive control group was administered with 0.2 mg/kg methotrexate (n = 7), while the experimental group was administered with WRCJ (100 or 500 mg/kg, n = 7). Serum levels of TNF-alpha, Interleukin 6 (IL-6), and type II collagen IgG (CII) were measured using ELISA. Administration of 500 mg/kg WRCJ decreased the levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and CII. Moreover, WRCJ treatment diminished swelling of hind legs and infiltration of inflammatory cells in RA models' synovial membrane. Conclusions: These results indicate that WRCJ could improve RA, reduce inflammatory indicators and synovial inflammation. However, further experiments are required to determine how WRCJ can influence the signal transduction pathway in RA.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.47-58
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• 2014

Objectives GyejigaChulBuTang (GCBT) is a prescription used to treat acute and chronic arthritis in Korea, China, and Japan. This study assessed the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities of GCBT on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Methods Raw264.7 cells were pretreated with or without GCBT for 1 hour prior to incubation with LPS. Anti-inflammatory activity of GCBT was evaluated with reference to gene expression and production levels of proinflammatory cytokines ($TNF{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, GM-CSF and $INF{\gamma}$) and inflammatory mediators (iNOS, COX-2, NO and $PGE_2$). In addition, intracellular ROS generation and signal transduction of MAPK family, PI3K/Akt and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}/NF{\kappa}B$ was investigated. Results Prior treatment with GCBT inhibited elevation of $TNF{\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, GM-CSF, $INF{\gamma}$, NO and $PGE_2$, together with their cognate mRNAs in a dose-dependent manner. Intracellular ROS contents were similarly reduced. These effects were due to inhibition of LPS-induced phosphorylation of MAPK family, PI3K/Akt and $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ as well as nuclear translocation of $NF{\kappa}B$. Conclusions GCBT suppresses pro-inflammatory mediators. GCBT has potential in the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis associated with inflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2012

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP) is a novel IL-7-like hematopoietic cytokine. Human TSLP is produced by epithelial cells, stromal cells, and mast cells. The TSLP gene is highly expressed in synovial fluid specimens derived from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. We previously identified four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one variation site in human TSLP gene. In this study, we analyzed the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the TSLP SNPs between RA patients and healthy controls. We also investigated the relationships between SNP genotypes and the RF levels and anti-synthetic cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) levels in RA patients. We then calculated the haplotype frequencies defined by these SNPs for both groups. The genotype and allele frequencies of the TSLP SNPs did not differ significantly between the RA patients and the healthy controls. We also found that TSLP SNPs in the RA patients had no significant association with the levels of RF or anti-CCP. Our results suggest that TSLP SNPs are not associated with susceptibility to RA.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.84-95
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• 2003

Objective : This study was carried out to investigate the effects of Kamisopunghwalhyeol-tang (Jiaweishujenghuoxie-tang; Kami-SPHHT) on the immunity responses of the Synoviocytes isolated from the patients on rheumatoid arthritis. Methods : Cells were stimulated by $Interleukin-1{\beta}$ and Tumor Necrosis $Factor-{\alpha}$ in the presence or absence of Kami-SPHHT, and then induced cytokine mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR and real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Results : Levels of $IL-1{\beta},{\;}IL-6,{\;}TNF-{\alpha}$, COX-2, and NOS II mRNA expressions significantly decreased in Kami-SPHHT treated cells compared to non-treated control cells. Also, DNA-binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and AP-l decreased in Kami- SPHHT treated hFLSs. Conclusion : These results suggest that Kami-SPHHT may be involved in anti-inflammatory reactions by inducing cytokine gene expression in synoviocytes, and further in vivo examination on its efficacy can provide potential application for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 1996

Chondroitin sulfate/gelatin microspheres containing dexamethasone 21-acetate were prepared by complex coacervation method and their release patterns were examined in vitro. Microspheres prepared with a small amount of crosslinking agent had smooth surface and few pores, but those with a large amount of crosslinking agent were more porous and less spherical. In vitro release patterns were varied by changing polymer/drug weight ratio and amount of crosslinking agent. The release rate of dexamethasone 21-acetate in the presence of collagenase was faster than that in the absence of collagenase. Anti-inflammatory effect of dexamethasone 21-acetate microspheres was more efficient than that of dexamethasone 21-acetate solution in carrageenan-induced arthritis in the rat. On the basis of the above results, we might expect the degradation and drug release rate of these microspheres to be regulated by the degree of crosslinking and the level of enzymes. In patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis who have high concentration of collagenase, more drug would be released from the microspheres. An intra-articular injection therapy of rheumatoid arthritis with desired release kinetics could be developed to enhance patient compliance and therapeutic index.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.239-243
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• 2008

Equisetum hyemale L. has been prescribed widely as a traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, conjunctivitis, pyelonephritis. In order to identification the mechanism, we examined an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of 85% methanol extract of E. hyemale. In this study E. hyemale exhibited strong scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, superoxide radical, and nitric oxide. To elucidate the anti-inflammatory properties of E. hyemale, we investigated the inhibition effects of nitric oxide and IL-6 by E. hyemale in IFN-gamma and LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. E. hyemale suppressed nitric oxide, IL-6 production and iNOS expression dose-dependently without notable cytotoxic activity. These data suggest that E. hyemale might be useful in inflammatory diseases by inhibiting the free radicals and inflammatory mediators.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.217-221
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• 2012

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) colocalize with leukocyte infiltrates in rheumatoid synovia. Proinflammatory leukocytes are known to amplify inflammation by signaling to FLS, but crosstalk between FLS and regulatory T cells (Tregs) remains uncharacterized. To address this possibility, we cocultured FLS lines derived from arthritic mice with Tregs. FLS that expressed the ligand for glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor family-related gene (GITR) decreased expression of Foxp3 and GITR in Tregs in a contact-dependent manner. This effect was abolished by blocking antibody to GITR. On the other hand, the Tregs caused the FLS to increase IL-6 production. These results demonstrate that inflamed FLS license Tregs to downregulate Foxp3 expression via the GITRL/GITR interaction while the Tregs induce the FLS to increase their production of IL-6. Our findings suggest that the interaction between FLS and Tregs dampens the anti-inflammatory activity of Tregs and amplifies the proinflammatory activity of FLS, thereby exacerbating inflammatory arthritis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.83-83
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• 2001

Head of Panax ginseng indicates its growth number of years and it has been widely used for supplying energy to weak person. However, the underlying mechanisms are not sufficiently reported. Thus, we inclined to study head of Panax ginseng in rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an organ-specific inflammatory disease of human, is characterized by a chronic and destructive inflammatory reaction and possibly autoimmune in etiology. It is occurred when the synobial membranes of joints and many other tissues of the body is attacked which induces significant health problem in terms of numbers of sufferers (U.S. incidence 23.7/100,000), and the synobial inflammatory is dominated by activated macrophage.