Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic
autoimmune disease characterized by synovial
inflammation and bone destruction. Identifying drugs with time-varying efficacy and toxicity, and elucidating the mechanisms would help to improve treatment efficacy and reduce adverse effects. Here, we aimed to determine the chronoefficacy of semen strychni (SS) and tripterygium
glycoside tablet (TGT) against
rheumatoid arthritis in mice, and to investigate a potential role of circadian pharmacokinetics in generating chronoefficacy. SS extract and TGT
suspension were prepared with ultrasonication. Effects of SS and TGT on
collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were evaluated by measuring TNF-α and
IL-6 levels. SS dosed at ZT18 was more effective in protecting against CIA than
drug dosed at ZT6 (i.e., lower levels of key inflammatory factors at ZT18 than at ZT6). This was accompanied by higher systemic exposure levels of
strychnine and
brucine (two main putative active ingredients of SS) in ZT18-treated than in ZT6-treated CIA mice. TGT dosing at ZT2 showed a better efficacy against CIA as compared to herb doing at ZT14. Consistently, ZT2 dosing generated a higher exposure of
triptolide (a main putative active ingredient of TGT) as compared to ZT14 dosing in CIA mice. Moreover,
strychnine,
brucine, and
triptolide significantly inhibited the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes, and reduced the production of TNF-α and
IL-6 and the mRNAs of TNF-α,
IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS, suggesting that they possessed an anti-
arthritis activity. In conclusion, SS and TGT display chronoefficacy against
rheumatoid arthritis in mice, that is attributed to circadian pharmacokinetics of main active ingredients. Our findings have implications for improving treatment outcomes of SS and TGT via timed delivery.