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DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-3399686
Therapeutic and analgesic effects of ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract on complete Freud’s adjuvant-induced arthritis model mouse
Publication History
Publication Date:
20 December 2019 (online)
Ephedra herb is one of the most important crude drugs and is the component of Kampo formulae such as maoto, makyoyokukanto, and eppikajutsuto that have been treat myalgia, rheumatism, and arthralgia in Japan. We recently reported the ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract (EFE) [1] which has developed to remove the side effects caused by ephedrine alkaloids, attenuates formalin-induced inflammatory pain in the same manner as Ephedra Herb extract [2]. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of EFE on arthritis using a complete Freud’s adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis model mouse. Oral administration of 28–700 mg/kg/day of EFE for 4 weeks (5 days/1 week) significantly reduced the articular swelling of the model mice in dose-dependent manner. We also measured the change of sensitivity against the mechanical stimulation using von Frey filaments to evaluate the analgesic effects of EFE. A 50% paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) of the model mouse was lowest at 7 days after CFA inoculation. Then EFE (175–700 mg/kg) was administrated the mice at 7 days after CFA inoculation, and the sensitivity against the mechanical stimulation was measured at 6 h after oral administration. EFE dose dependently improved the 50% PWT in the von Frey test without hampering the physical performance in the rota-rod test. These results suggested that EFE is useful for treatment of arthritis. Now, we are evaluating the efficacy of EFE against a cartilage damage in CFA-induced arthritis model mouse.
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References
- 1 Oshima N, Yamashita T, Hyuga S, Hyuga M, Kamakura H, Yoshimura M, Maruyama T, Hakamatsuka T, Amakura Y, Hanawa T, Goda Y. Efficiently prepared ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb extract: a putative marker and antiproliferative effects. J Nat Med 2016; 70: 554-562
- 2 Hyuga S, Hyuga M, Oshima N, Maruyama T, Kamakura H, Yamashita T, Yoshimura M, Amakura Y, Hakamatsuka T, Odaguchi H, Goda Y, Hanawa T. Ephedrine alkaloids–free Ephedra Herb extract: a safer alternative to ephedra with comparable analgesic, anticancer, and anti-influenza activities. J Nat Med 2016; 70: 571-583