Effect of Chaenomelis Fructus Alcohol Extract on Arthritis Inflammation and Apoptosis of Synovial Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis Model / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To study the protective effect and mechanism of Chaenomelis Fructus alcohol extract (CFE) on the synovium of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method:Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group and model group. RA model was made by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant， and then was randomly divided into model group， CFE low， medium and high dose group and Tripterygium glycoside group according to the inflammatory score. The CFE groups (0.15，0.30，0.60 g·kg-1·d-1) had intragastric administration once a day for 30 d after the model establishment. The blank control group and the model group were given the same volume saline water by gavage. After all the drugs were given， the blood， joint tissues and synovium tissue of rats were collected. The levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β)， interleukin-6 (IL-6)， interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)， the pathological changes of synovium were observed by hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining， and the expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)，Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) and death factor (Fas) in joints were detected by Western blot. Result:Compared with normal group， the swelling degree and inflammation index of rats' feet in model group increased significantly， the levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β， IL-6， TNF-α in serum increased (P<0.01)， anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 decreased (P<0.01)， the protein expression of Bax， Fas and Bcl-2 increased， and the statistical results of Bcl-2 showed significant difference (P<0.05). Compared with model group， the swelling degree and inflammatory index of the plantar of RA rats were improved in the middle and high dose groups of CFE (P<0.01)， the pathological changes such as synovial tissue hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration were reduced in each dose group， and the levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α in serum were reduced (P<0.05)， anti inflammatory factor IL-10 increased (P<0.05)， the disorder of inflammatory cytokine in the model was corrected， Bax， Fas expression increased， Bcl-2 protein expression decreased (P<0.01). Conclusion:CFE can reduce the degree of inflammation in RA joint and has obvious anti RA effects， which may be related to the apoptosis of synoviocytes induced by CFE.