Ascidian Tunicate Extracts Attenuate Rheumatoid Arthritis in a Collagen-induced Murine Model

作者：Hong Seong Ho; Kwon Jung Taek; Lee Jae Ho; Lee Somin; Lee Ah Young; Cho Won Young; Bat Erdene Munkhjargal; Choi Byeong Dae^*; Cho Myung Haing

来源：Natural Product Communications, 2014, 9(6): 847-851.

DOI：10.1177/1934578x1400900632

• Mouse arthritis model
• Collagen induced arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ascidian tunicate extracts
• Licorice

Murine rheumatoid arthritis models are often used to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of candidate drugs. The present study has been conducted in order to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of ascidian tunicate extracts in a collagen-induced arthritis DBA1/J mice model. Four types of formulas, ascidian tunicate extracts (ATE), crude ascidian tunicate glycans (ATEC), ascidian tunicate extracts with licorice extracts (ATEL), and crude ascidian tunicate glycans with licorice extracts (ATECL) were orally administered into DBA/1J mice for 3 weeks and paw edema and thickness were evaluated. Changes in inflammatory proteins and cytokines levels were monitored in hind leg tissues by Western blot and quantitative PCR analysis. The oral administration of ascidian tunicate extracts alleviated paw edema and improved the histological hind leg cartilage status. The extracts also reduced the matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) protein and prostaglandin E synthase (PGES) levels. In addition, the extracts-treated groups showed increased interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels compared with the non-treated group. These findings suggest that orally administered ascidian tunicate extracts might have potential therapeutic effects for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

• 出版日期2014-6