Dihydrocucurbitacin B, isolated from Cayaponia tayuya, reduces damage in adjuvant-induced arthritis

• Published in: European journal of pharmacology Vol. 532; no. 1; pp. 145 - 154
• Main Authors: Escandell, José Miguel, Recio, María-Carmen, Máñez, Salvador, Giner, Rosa-María, Cerdá-Nicolás, Miguel, Ríos, José-Luis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 17-02-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adjuvant-induced arthritis; Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Antirheumatic Agents - administration & dosage; Antirheumatic Agents - isolation & purification; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Experimental - metabolism; Arthritis, Experimental - pathology; Arthritis, Experimental - prevention & control; Biological and medical sciences; Cayaponia tayuya; Cell Line; Cell Survival - drug effects; Cucurbitaceae - chemistry; Cyclooxygenase; Cyclooxygenase 2 - metabolism; Cytokines - metabolism; Dihydrocucurbitacin B; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Activation - drug effects; Female; Interleukin-1β; Lymphocytes - cytology; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Lymphocytes - metabolism; Macrophages - cytology; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - metabolism; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Nitric oxide synthase; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Nitrites - metabolism; Pain - prevention & control; Pancreatic Elastase - metabolism; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - administration & dosage; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Plant Roots - chemistry; Rats; Rats, Inbred Lew; Superoxides - metabolism; Triterpenes - administration & dosage; Triterpenes - therapeutic use; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Adjuvant-induced arthritis; Nitric oxide synthase; Cyclooxygenase; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Dihydrocucurbitacin B; Interleukin-1β; Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase; Enzyme; Toxicity; Cytokine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Interleukin 1β; Arthritis; Nitric-oxide synthase; Oxidoreductases; Tumor necrosis factor α
• ISSN: 0014-2999; 1879-0712
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2005.12.028

23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin B, from the anti-rheumatic plant
Cayaponia tayuya, was tested on arthritis induced by adjuvant to corroborate the anti-inflammatory properties of this plant. Arthritis was induced in Lewis rats; the resulting arthritic rats were then treated with dihydrocucurbitacin B (1 mg/kg orally, daily, 1 week). The effect of dihydrocucurbitacin B on the synthesis, release, and activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (elastase, cyclooxygenase-2, and nitric oxide synthase-2) as well as its effect on different mediators (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) were determined. Dihydrocucurbitacin B modified the evolution of the clinical symptoms, reducing the swelling and bone and tissue damage along with the development of the disease, modifying the cell infiltration and the expression of both nitric oxide synthase-2 and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, it decreased the tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β production in lymphocytes, but did not modify it in macrophages.