The effect of aqueous extract of Swertia chirayita stem on the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines balance in primary joint synovium of adjuvant-induced arthritic mice has been studied. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokines was found elevated in the joint synovium of arthritic mice in comparison to normal joints. Administration of S. chirayita extract in varying doses through the oral route did not modulate the proinflammatory cytokines on day 2. In contrast, by day 12, a dose dependent (0, 11.86 and 23.72 mg/kg body weight) reduction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (INF-alpha) interleukin-1beta, (IL-beta) and interferon-gamma, (IFN-gamma) and elevation of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) was observed in the joint homogenates of arthritic mice. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) was not down regulated in joint homogenate of arthritic mice at the dose 11.86 mg/kg but at higher doses (23.72 and 35.58 mg/kg) significant reduction was observed. The aqueous extract was found to possess two polar compounds, amerogentin and mangiferin but was devoid of swerchirin, chiratol, methyl swetianin, and swertanone. Mangiferin has been reported to possess potent anti-inflammatory property and we presume its presence in the aqueous extract of S. chirayita is responsible for reducing TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and IFN-gamma and/or elevating IL-10 in the joint homogenates of arthritic mice on day 12. This study will help in our understanding of the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of S. chirayita in the light of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF- alpha) plays important role in pathophysiology of cardiovascular system and had been comprehensively studied over the last 20 years.  These studies demonstrate both Detrimental and potentially conflicting roles of TNF-α in pathophysiology of heart. Beneficial effects of TNF-α includes cardioprotective action against ischemia, myocarditis, pressure overload and preventive action against potential adverse effects including development of atherosclerosis, reperfusion injury, hypertrophy, and heart failure. However, TNF-α is still controversial for its beneficial or harmful effects for cardiovascular system. This review includes evaluation of possible role of TNF-α in cardiovascular system specifically in pathophysiology and morphology of cardiomyocytes. Further this article mainly emphases on the claimed role of TNF-α pathways with concerning essential cardiac cellular processes which may have unswerving adaptive effects in the heart with respect to future research directions.  Keywords: Tumor Necrosis Factor, Hypertrophy, Pathophysiology, Cytokine, Pathology, Cardiovascular System.