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eCAM Advance Access published online on November 23, 2007
eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nem168
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© 2007 The Author(s).
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Potential Use of Plectranthus amboinicus in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jia-Ming Chang, Chun-Ming Cheng, Le-Mei Hung, Yuh-Shan Chung and Rey-Yuh Wu

Chinese Herbal Medicine Program, Division of Research and Development, Development Center for Biotechnology, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC

Plectranthus amboinicus (P. amboinicus) is a folk herb that is used to treat inflammatory diseases or swelling symptoms in Taiwan. We investigated therapeutic efficacy of P. amboinicus in treating Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) using collagen-induced arthritis animal model. Arthritis was induced in Lewis rats by immunization with bovine type II collagen. Serum anti-collagen IgG, IgM and C-reactive protein (CRP) were analyzed. To understand the inflammation condition of treated animals, production of TNF-{alpha}, IL-6 and IL-1β from peritoneal exudates cells (PEC) were also analyzed. P. amboinicus significantly inhibited the footpad swelling and arthritic symptoms in collagen-induced arthritic rats, while the serum anti-collagen IgM and CRP levels were consistently decreased. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-{alpha}, IL-6 and IL-1β were also decreased in the high dosage of P. amboinicus group. Here, we demonstrate the potential anti-arthritic effect of P. amboinicus for treating RA, which might confer its anti-rheumatic activity. This differs the pharmacological action mode of indomethacin.

Keywords: collagen – rheumatoid – arthritis – herbal medicine – inflammation

For reprints and all correspondence: Dr Jia-Ming Chang, Division of Research and Development, Development Center for Biotechnology, 101, Ln169, Kangning St., Xizhi City, Taipei County, Taiwan 221, ROC, Tel: +886-2-26956933 ext. 5102, Fax: +886-2-66150063, E-mail: jiaming{at}ntu.edu.tw

Received June 23, 2007; accepted September 12, 2007


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