OBJECTIVE

2

To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism of Zhuang medicine Tongfeng li’an capsules on gouty arthritis in combination with

in vivo

and

in vitro

experiments.

METHODS

2

Sixty rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， positive control group （27 mg/kg allopurinol+0.27 mg/kg colchicine）， Tongfeng li’an capsules low-dose， medium-dose and high-dose groups （2.2， 4.5， 9.0 g/kg）， with 10 rats in each group. Except for normal group， gouty arthritis model of rats was induced in other groups. Rats in each administration group were given corresponding drugs intragastrically， and rats in the normal group and model group were given equal volume of water intragastrically for 14 consecutive days. The degree of ankle joint swelling， serum level of interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and protein expressions of nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） in synovial tissue were detected， and the histopathological changes of synovium tissue in the ankle joint of rats were observed. The inflammation model was established by stimulating RAW264.7 cells with lipopolysaccharide. After Tongfeng li’an capsules （62.5， 125， 250 μg/mL） were given， the levels of nitric oxide （NO）， reactive oxygen species （ROS） and IL-1β in the cells and protein expression of NF-κB were detected， and NF-κB localization in the cells was also determined.

RESULTS

2

Results of

in vivo

experiment showed that compared with normal group， the swelling degree of the ankle joint， serum IL-1β level and protein expression of NF-κB in synovium tissue were all increased significantly in model group （

P

＜0.05）； pathological changes such as synovial hyperplasia， edema， vascular congestion， capillary hyperplasia， and increased inflammatory cells were observed. Compared with model group， the levels of above indexes were all decreased significantly in Tongfeng li’an capsules high-dose group （

P

＜0.05）， and most of the above indexes were significantly reduced in Tongfeng li’an capsules medium-dose and low-dose groups （

P

＜0.05）； synovial hyperplasia of the ankle joint improved， and the infiltration of inflammatory cells decreased. Results of

in vitro

experiment showed that Tongfeng li’an capsule could significantly reduce the levels of NO， ROS and IL-1β and protein expression of NF-κB（

P

＜0.01）， and inhibit NF-κB nucleation.

CONCLUSIONS

2

Tongfeng li’an capsules have good anti-inflammatory effect on gouty arthritis， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway activity.