The Effect of Acanthopanax koreanum Extract on the Induction of Collagen Induced Arthritis for DBA/1J Mice

Kim, Dong Soo; Song, Chang Ho; Lee, Soo Kon

Abstract

PURPOSE
It is well known that the Acanthopanax koreanum extract has an anti-inflammatory action without any adverse effects reported. We conducted this study to see whether the Acanthopanax koreanum extract has a preventive effect on the development of collagen induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice.
METHODS
Three groups of BDA/1J mice were immunized by intradermal injection of 2mg/kg bovine type II collagen with complete Freund' s adjuvant. Group I received 20mg/kg of Acanthopanax koreanum extract orally twice weekly and group II received 1mg/kg dexamethasone intraperitoneally twice weekly. Group III received no treatment. The prevalence of arthritis were assessed twice weekly. Serum anti-collagen antibody and splenic mononuclear cell stimulation indices (SI) to collagen were measured. Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels were also measured by ELISA.
RESULTS
Collagen induced arthritis (CIA) started to develop 5 weeks after collagen injections. In Acanthopanax koreanum extract treated group, CIA induction seemed to be inhibited as well as in dexamethasone treated group. However, they were not significant statistically. There was a significant increase in the serum levels of anticollagen antibody in the Acanthopanax koreanum extract treated group compared with rest of two groups, but no significant differences of splenic mononuclear cell SI among the groups. Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha was decreased in the Acanthopanax koreanum extract treated group compared to the other two groups.
CONCLUSION
These findings show that the Acanthopanax koreanum extract had no definite preventive effect on the development of CIA.