Inhibitory effects of plant extracts on adjuvant-induced arthritis

Twenty seven plant extracts were selected on the basis of ancient literature search for rheumatoid arthritis or similar syndrome. Methanol extract of each plant was prepared and administered orally to rats everyday at a dose of 200 mg/kg/day. Experimental arthritis was induced by subplantar injection of heat-killed Mycobacterium butyricum to right hind paw of rats. This treatment provoked swelling of the treated paw in two phases, acute primary swelling and secondary arthritic swelling. An inhibition of secondary swelling was considered to be antiarthritic activity. Several plant methanol extracts such as Akebia quinata (caulis), Ephedra sinica (herba) and Sophorae subprostrata (radix) were found to show significant inhibitory activity against secondary swelling at the dose tested. Our results strongly suggested an antiarthritic potential of these plant extracts.