Isradipine and indomethacin effects on collagen adjuvant arthritic rats

ABSTRACT

This work was carried out to study the effect of a relatively new calcium channel blocker "isradipine" on some therapeutic and side effects of indomethacin. Inflammatory collagen polyarthritis model which bears resemblence to rheumatoid arthritis was induced by injection of collagen in complete Freund's adjuvant. Treatment of arthritic rats either by indomethacin or isradipine or combination of both drugs for 15 days resulted in significant analgesic activity as evaluated by the analgesimeter. Meanwhile, indomethacin either alone or in combination with isradipine reduced the rats hind paw thickness. Induction of arthritis was accompanied by significant elevation of serum C-reactive protein and a decrease in albumin, with no significant change in cortisol levels. These parameters were not significantly affected by treatment with any drug i.e. these drugs improved the symptoms and did not affect the progress of the disease. Histopathologic changes of the stomach revealed that, isradipine improved the gastric lesions of nontreated and indomethacin treated arthritic rats. Also, isradipine partially protected the kidney from renal tubular necrosis and interstitial nephritis caused by indomethacin. It could be concluded that administration of calcium channel blockers in association with N.S.A.I.Ds in rheumatologic practice may be used to increase the analgesic effect and decrease the gastric erosion and nephrotoxicity of NSAIDs