Water Extract of Acori Graminei Rhizoma Attenuates Features of Rheumatoid Arthritis in DBA/1 Mice

Abstract

The dry rhizome of Acorus gramineus Solander, known as Acori Graminei Rhizoma, is used to treat dementia, stroke, eczema, and indigestion in traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Korean medicine, and traditional Japanese Kampo medicine. Previous studies have reported that Acori Graminei Rhizoma extract ameliorated cognitive impairment in Aβ1-42 injected mice. However, the effect of Acori Graminei Rhizoma on type II collagen induced arthritis (CIA) has not been elucidated. Thus, we evaluated the water extract of Acori Graminei Rhizoma (WAG) in CIA mice models. Male DBA/1 mice were separated into five groups (NOR; n=10, CON; n=10, CIA + methotrexate (MTX); n=10, CIA + 100 mg/kg WAG; n=10, CIA + 500 mg/kg WAG; n=10). CIA was induced by injecting the mice with bovine type II collagen, after which the mice were treated with WAG and/or MTX. Hematological parameters and liver and kidney serum toxicity markers were analyzed. Further, serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, TNF-α, and type II collagen IgG were analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Treatment with 500 mg/kg WAG decreased serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and collagen IgG in a CIA model. Moreover, WAG treatment decreased CIA-induced swelling of mouse hind legs, infiltration of inflammatory cells into the synovial membrane, and blood neutrophil levels. WAG administration did not influence hematological parameters or kidneys and liver toxicity markers. WAG may be used to treat arthritis by reducing the inflammation indicators. However, further experiments are required to determine how WAG affects inflammation mechanisms in vitro and in vivo.

A directly GP130‐targeting small molecule ameliorates collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) by inhibiting IL‐6/GP130 signalling and Th17 differentiation

“…To examine the therapeutic effect of LMT-28 in an animal CIA model, vehicle, LMT-28 (50, 5, or 0.5 mg/kg), or MTX (5 mg/kg) were orally administered to CIA mice daily after primary immunization. MTX is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, [12][13][14] used in conventional therapy for RA. Representative photographs displaying morphological changes in the left front paws of mice from each group on day 75 after treatment are shown in Figure 1A.…”

Therapeutic Candidates for Alzheimer’s Disease: Saponins

“…These findings suggest that Ginsenoside Rg1 has neuroprotective effects in AD rats [ 230 ]. Acori graminei Rhizoma (AGR) is a TCM used for AD with fewer side effects, but the underlying mechanism is unclear [ 231 ]. Recently, both in vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that the combination of AGR and ginsenoside Rg1 is able to suppress HO-1 expression by increasing miR-873-5p expression, thereby attenuating miR-873-5p-mediated neuronal cell apoptosis and the cognitive dysfunction in mice with AD [ 232 ].…”