Relationship of tetramethylpyrazine on expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and development of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats / 中国中药杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the synovium of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>AIA rats were treated with different doses of TMP. The effects of treatment were monitored by footpad thickness, contents of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in serum, microvessel density (MVD) and the expression of VEGF protein in the synovium.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with arthritis model, 100 mg x kg(-1) TMP could remarkably reduce the footpad thickness, contents of TNF-alpha in serum and the expression of VEGF in the synovium.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>TMP can attenuate the degree of chronic inflammation in AIA rats, and its mechanism might be associated with inhibiting the expression of VEGF.</p>