Evaluation of the anti-gout effect of Sonchus Arvensis on monosodium urate crystal-induced gout arthritis via anti-inflammatory action - an in vivo study

Abstract

Background and aims. Sonchus arvensis is an Indonesian plant with strong therapeutic effects. Various studies have shown that this plant is useful in treating kidney stone disorders, and recent studies have shown that S. arvensis extract can reduce inflammation caused by monosodium urate crystal deposition in the synovial tissue . This study was aimed to explore the extract of Sonchus arvensis, via fractionation, to optimize the specific content of S. arvensis with anti-inflammatory potential in gout arthritis.
 Methods. The study included 30 rats (Rattus norvegicus) Wistar strain obtained from the Eureka Research Laboratory (Palembang, Indonesia) weighing between 200 - 250 grams. After one week of acclimatization, the rats were randomly divided into six groups, each group containing five animals; normal control group, monosodium urate group (negative control), colchicine group, hexane fraction of S. arvensis group, ethyl-acetate fraction of S. arvensis group and water fraction group. Before monosodium urate administration, rats in the colchicine group, as a positive control group, were given orally for seven days with 0.28 mg/kg/day colchicine. IL-1β levels in joint synovial fluid were examined with Rat ELISA interleukin-1β.
 Results. S. arvensis water fraction showed the most significant reduction in inflammatory cells compared to the hexane or ethyl acetate fractions. The water fraction of S. arvensis group had an equal effect with positive control in reducing the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the synovial tissue. 
 Conclusion. Sonchus arvensis water fraction has anti-gout effects in monosodium urate-induced gout arthritis in rats by decreasing the inflammatory response in the synovial joint.