Effect of Common Threewingnut(Tripterygium wilfordii)on Blood Rheology in Experimental Arthritis Rats / 中草药

Ethyl acetate extract of Tripterygium wilfordii (20mg/kg, 40mg/kg ), given to adjuvantarthritis rats (ig ) for 7 consecutive days, markedly decreased both high and low shear whole blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, whole blood reduction viscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen content, but without effect on blood sedimentation and K value in blood sedime ntation equation. These resuits indicated that the decreasing effect of T. wilfordii on bloodviscosity ma y be related to ius influenee on red blood cells and plasma composition.