Antirheumatoid arthritis effect of Rhus verniciflua and of the active component, sulfuretin.

Abstract

Oral administration of the MeOH extract of Rhus verniciflua or of an EtOAc fraction containing an EtOAc-soluble portion of the MeOH extract slightly decreased rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) factors in Freund's complete adjuvant reagent FCA-treated rats, indicating that they are active extracts for rheumatoid arthritis, the EtOAc extract being more active. Treatment with these two extracts prevented histological changes such as synovial cell proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration and fat necrosis compared with an FCA-treated group. Oral administration (30 mg/kg) of sulfuretin and fustin, which were isolated from the EtOAc extract by activity-guided separation, significantly decreased RA and CRP factors, the former being more active than the latter. Treatment with the EtOAc fraction ( p. o.) containing sulfuretin significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, and highly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Inhibition of xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase in FCA-treated rats was also evident. Since treatment with sulfuretin and the EtOAc extract decreased the concentration of infiltrated mast cells in the rat knee exhibiting rheumatoid arthritis, we suggest that the Rhus verniciflua extract, which contains sulfuretin as an active component, may prevent rheumatoid syndromes by inhibiting reactive oxygen species.

• Authors: Jongwon Choi, Byung-Jae Yoon, Yong Nam Han, Kyung-Tae Lee, Joohun Ha, Hyun-Ju Jung, Hee-Juhn Park
• Journal: Planta medica (Planta Med) Vol. 69 Issue 10 Pg. 899-904 (Oct 2003) ISSN: 0032-0943 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 14648391 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Benzofurans
• Flavonoids
• Plant Extracts
• Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
• Freund's Adjuvant
• sulfuretin

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Antioxidants (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (chemically induced, drug therapy)
• Benzofurans (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cell Division (drug effects)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Flavonoids (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Freund's Adjuvant
• Knee Joint
• Male
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Plant Stems
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Rhus
• Synovial Fluid (cytology, drug effects)
• Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances