Oral administration of eucalyptol reduces cell migration and pain-like behavior in zymosan-induced arthritis mice

Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease that utilizes nonbiologic and biologic drugs for appropriate disease management. However, high cost, adverse effects, reduced effectiveness, and risk of infection have stimulated the search for safer and more efficacious therapeutic strategies. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of eucalyptol in an experimental model of arthritis. Mice were administered zymosan or saline intra-articularly. One hour before the zymosan administration, the mice were treated with oral eucalyptol (200-400 mg/kg) and vehicle. Cell influx, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were measured in joint exudates. Joint pain was assessed using paw-pressure tests. Orally administered eucalyptol (200 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced cell influx, as well as neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes, when compared with the control. Eucalyptol at a dose of 400 mg/kg significantly reversed joint pain and demonstrated analgesic activity (60%); however, 200 mg/kg failed to alter joint pain. These results indicate that oral eucalyptol promotes anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity in mice subjected to zymosan-induced arthritis.

Action of chlorogenic acid on the complement system

Previous research on plants used in folk medicine as antidotes against snake-bite revealed some constituents responsible for such protection. Chlorogenic acid (3-0-caffeoyl quinic acid) was one of these substances, studied with more attention. It has been shown that this substance binds to proteins through hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen bonds. This paper shows the preliminary results about the anti-complementary action of chlorogenic acid. Human and guinea pig sera, treated with chlorogenic acid, were added to the hemolytic system (sheep erythrocyte sensitized with hemolysin) to study its effect on the activation of the classical complement pathway. The action on the alternative pathway was studied with human serum treated with chlorogenic acid and zymosan. Our results show that chlorogenic acid presents anti-complementary action at the classical pathway, since the sera are not able to lysis the indicator system. The presence of C3b fragments on the surface of the yeast cells demonstrates that the alternative pathway was not affected.

Elevated polymorphonuclear phagocytic function in thalassemia patients by chemiluminescence.

Twenty five patients with beta thalassemia major, with no evidence of infection were evaluated for their polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) metabolic function and serum opsonic activity by chemiluminescence assay. These were divided into Group I of normal adults (n = 21), Group II thalassemia major < 5 years (n = 9) and Group III thalassemia major > 5 years (n = 16). The ability of the chemiluminescence assay (CL) to reflect opsonic and phagocytic dysfunction suggested its potential application in the evaluation of phagocytic function. The peak count of Group I was (1.07 +/- 0.24 x 10(-5)), Group II (1.60 +/- 0.83 x 10(-5)) and Group III was (2.71 +/- 0.98 x 10(-5)) respectively in the presence of autologous sera. The peak count compared between Group I and III was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). The peak count of Group I and II when compared showed a trend in the increase activity not statistically significant. The polymorph function of all the groups were compared with autologous serum as well as normal serum. There was no increase in polymorph function of Group III in the presence of thalassemia serum, nor any decrease in the polymorph function of thalassemia patients of Group II and III. This concluded that polymorphs of thalassemia patients are active in the presence of autologous as well as normal serum. The increased activity of thalassemia polymorphs may be due to antigenic stimulation which may be due to multiple transfusion and not due to circulating iron load.

Resposta fagocitária e atividade quimiotática de leucócitos mononucleares em crianças eutróficas / Phagocytic response and chemotaxic activity of mononuclear leukocytes in eutrophic children

A funçäo fagocitária e a atividade quimiotática de leucócitos mononucleares foram avaliadas em cinqüenta crianças eutróficas na faixa etária de dois a dez anos, com o objetivo de estabelecer curvas padröes

PAF-acether and the acute inflammatory reaction

PAF-aceter é um fosfolipídio que exerce um papel importante na reaçäo inflamatória aguda. No modelo experimental do edema da para de rato e pleurisia, a reaçäo induzida pelo PAF era acompanhada de hemoconcentraçäo, embora esses processos pareçam ser mediados por mecanismos distintos. Antagonistas específicos do PAF, como BN 52021 e WEB 2086, inibem 60% do edema induzido pelo PAF. Leucotrienos e mecanismos histaminérgicos envolvendo receptores H2 parecem participar no processo. A participaçäo do sistema adrenérgico e de metabólitos da ciclooxigenase é controversa. Infiltraçäo de leucócitos, observada após a injeçäo de PAF, e plaquetas näo säo necessárias para a formaçäo de edema. Auto-dessensibilizaçäo induzida pelo PAF pôde ser observada, sendo seletiva e dependente a interaçäo do PAF com receptores específicos em um processo de regulaçäo depressiva ("dow-regulation"). Nenhuma participaçäo deo PAF foi observada na reaçäo inflamatória induzida pela carregenina, contrariamente áquela provocada pelo zimosan, que é principalmente dependente do PAF-aceter