Therapeutic Effects of Bovine Articular Cartilage on Adjuvant-induced Arthritis

The therapeutic effects of bovine articular cartilage on adjuvant-induced arthritis in Kunming mice were investigated in the present study.Animals were divided into control group,model group and treatment groups (bovine articular cartilage,polysaccharide from bovine articular cartilage,polysaccharide from bovine laryngeal cartilage;administered orally by gastric intubations,180 mg/kg/d,for 20 days after induction).The arthritis model was induced by injection of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) into the left hind footpad.Arthritis index as well as the index of liver,spleen and thymus was analyzed.Corresponding kits were used in determining superoxide dismutase (SOD),malondialdehyde (MDA),nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels in serum.The results indicated that bovine articular cartilage could obviously attenuate the paw swelling response.Liver and thymus index,MDA and NO levels were significantly (P0.05) lowered by bovine articular cartilage-treatment.The serum level of IL-1β was significantly (P0.01) decreased by the treatment.Our results indicated that bovine articular cartilage had a therapeutic effect on adjuvant-induced arthritis and its efficacy was higher than those of polysaccharide groups.Bovine articular cartilage may be a viable therapeutic candidate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.