Anti-inflammatory effect of Euphorbia hirta in an adjuvant-induced arthritic murine model.

Abstract

Despite extensive research into inflammatory diseases to date, no drugs with favourable safety profiles are available for treatment. Euphorbia hirta (E. hirta) is a tree that is locally used as a traditional medicine in Africa and Australia to treat numerous diseases such as hypertension, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential anti-arthritic effects of E. hirta in mouse models of adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA). We treated BALB/c mice with (p.o.) E. hirta (25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) daily (13 days) beginning at the onset of AIA. We examined the effect of E. hirta on key mediators of arthritic-inflammation, including pro-inflammatory (IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4 and IL-5) cytokines, T-cell activation markers (CD25/CD69), and co-stimulatory molecules (CD80/CD86). We also examined the inflammatory mediators (PGE2 and LTB4) response. E. hirta-treated mice showed a substantial reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, down regulated cell activation markers and co-stimulatory molecules, and up regulated anti-inflammatory cytokines. E. hirta decreased the levels of inflammatory-mediators in AIA animals. Supplementation with an E. hirta extract may be a promising treatment for arthritic and inflammatory diseases.

• Authors: Sheikh Fayaz Ahmad, Sabry M Attia, Saleh A Bakheet, Abdelkader E Ashour, Khairy M A Zoheir, Adel R A Abd-Allah
• Journal: Immunological investigations (Immunol Invest) Vol. 43 Issue 3 Pg. 197-211 ( 2014) ISSN: 1532-4311 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24393059 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Antigens, Bacterial
• Antigens, CD
• Cytokines
• Inflammation Mediators
• Oils
• Plant Extracts
• Paraffin
• paraffin oils

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (administration & dosage)
• Antigens, Bacterial (immunology)
• Antigens, CD (metabolism)
• Arthritis, Experimental (drug therapy, immunology)
• Cells, Cultured
• Cytokines (metabolism)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Euphorbia
• Female
• Humans
• Inflammation Mediators (metabolism)
• Lymphocyte Activation (drug effects)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis (immunology)
• Oils (administration & dosage)
• Paraffin (administration & dosage)
• Phytotherapy (methods)
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage)
• T-Lymphocytes (immunology)