Mechanism of Total Saponins from Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma to Treat Gouty Arthritis by Regulating M1/M2 Polarization of Macrophages / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To illustrate the effect of M1/M2 polarization of macrophages on gouty arthritis models induced with monosodium urate and reveal the molecular mechanism of total saponins from Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma to treat gouty arthritis. Method:A total of 72 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups： normal group， model group， total saponin group （160 mg·kg^-1）， celecoxib group （43.3 mg·kg^-1）， with 18 rats in each group. Gouty arthritis models were induced by injecting monosodium urate into ankle joints bilaterally. Histopathology changes of ankle joints were observed by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining. Immunohistochemistry method was used to detect the protein expression change of CD68， interleukin-4（IL-4）， inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and transforming growth factor-<italic>β</italic>₁（TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁）. Result:HE staining results showed that the inflammation of the model group was most obvious on the third day after modeling， and the disease was in the acute stage. On day 5， the inflammation was alleviated， and on day 8， the inflammation was still present but close to normal. The total saponin group and celecoxib group could improve the pathological changes of synovial tissue， and the effect of total saponin group was more obvious. Immunohistochemical results were as follows. Compared with the normal group. The expression of CD68 and iNOS in the model group increased on the 3rd，5th and 8th day of administration （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the total saponins group could reduce the expression of CD68 and iNOS （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）on the 3rd day of administration， and significantly reduced them expression on the 5th and 8th days （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the normal group， IL-4 and TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁ expression were increased in the model group when the drug was given for three days（<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Total saponin group could enhance IL-4 expression（<italic>P</italic><0.05）and decreased the TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁ expression（<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with normal group， the expression of IL-4 in the model group decreased on the 5th and 8th day of administration （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and the expression of TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁ in the model group decreased on the 5th day of administration（<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the total saponins group could increase the expression of IL-4 and TGF-<italic>β</italic>₁ at 5 d and 8 d after administration （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:Total saponins from Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma has the potential effect to treat gouty arthritis by regulating M1/M2 polarization.