Study on pharmacodynamics of aconitine anti-adjuvant arthritis / 国际中医中药杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the pharmacological function of the aconitine in treating adjuvant arthritis(AA).Methods Fifty rats were randomly divided into the control group, AA model group, methotrexate group(0.5 mg/kg), and aconitine groups of different dosages (25, 100μg/kg). Except the control group, each group was injection of intradermal Freund's complete adjuvant (0.1 ml) into right hindpaw of rats to establish adjuvant arthritis model. On the 10th day after model onset, the aconitine were administered by gavage with 25, 100μg/kg once daily, and the methotrexate group was administered with 0.5 mg/kg methotrexate twice per week, and all groups were treated for 19 days. After the last administration, the foot swelling was measured by toe volume meter, arthritis index was calculated by 5-grade scoring method, spleen and thymus index were calculated, and the pathological changes of right ankle joint were observed by HE staining.Results After the model establishment, compared with the model group, the degree of swelling of the ankle at 20 days (668.7 ± 144.5μl, 566.9 ± 179.3μl vs. 912.1 ± 200.5μl), 24 days (833.1 ± 144.0μl, 803.9 ± 213.4μlvs.1069.5 ± 164.6μl) and 28 days (736.4 ± 115.0μl, 835.7 ± 170.1μlvs. 1107.2 ± 215.8μl) in the aconitine groups significantly decreased (P<0.05 orP<0.01). After the model establishment, compared with the model group, arthritic index scores at 18 days (3.1 ± 0.7, 3.2 ± 0.4vs. 3.8 ± 0.6), 24 days (3.1 ± 0.5, 3.4 ± 0.5vs.3.9 ± 0.3), 28 days (2.7 ± 0.6, 3.2 ± 0.9 vs. 4.0 ± 0.0) in the aconitine groups significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the spleen index (3.5 ± 0.4, 3.3 ± 0.4, 4.0 ± 0.6vs.4.9 ± 0.5) respectively in the low and high dose group of aconitine and methotrexate group (P<0.01).Conclusion Aconitine has a certain degree therapeutic effect on AA rats.