TCM Herb Shows Potential in Arthritis

NANJING, ChinaAn alkaloid fraction of Radix linderae, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has demonstrated anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antimicrobial activities helpful to managing arthritis and protecting the affected joint. Researchers from China Pharmaceutical University and the Shanghai University of TCM studied norisoboldine, the major isoquinoline alkaloid in R. linderae, on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. They published the results in the journal Phytomedicine (2010 Aug;17(10):726-31).

After inducing arthritis using chicken type II collagen (II), they treated mice with different doses of norisoboldine (10, 20, 40 mg/kg) for twenty consecutive days then monitored body weight changes and joint histopathology, in addition to assessing and recording clinical scores. The alkaloid intervention significantly reduced clinical scores and body weights; the treatment also dose-dependently inhibited inflammatory cells and synovial hyperplasia (extra cell growth), while protecting the joint from damage. Using the delayed-type hypersensitivity model, researchers also found norisoboldinesignificantly suppressed Th1 response in the mice. They concluded the R. linderae alkaloid has potential as a therapeutic agent for rheumatoid arthritis via protection of the joint and regulation of autoimmune responses.