Analgesic effect of Daeganghwal-Tang on a rat model of CFA-induced arthritis

CFA에 의해 유도된 백서(白鼠)모델 관절염(關節炎)에서 대강활탕(大羌活湯)의 진통효과(鎭痛效果)

Objectives : Daeganghwal-Tang(DGHT) is one of the prescriptions used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) in oriental medicine. The present study aimed to examine the analgesic effect of DGHT on a rat model of CFA-induced arthritis, and the relations between DGHT-induced analgesia and endogenous nitric oxide(NO) and inducible NO synthase(iNOS)/neuronal NOS. Methods : CFA-induced arthritis model used to test the effect of DGHT was chronic pain model. After the induction of arthritis, rats subsequently showed a reduced stepping force of the affected limb for at least the next 18 days. the reduced stepping force of the limb was presumably due to a painful knee. DGHT dissolved in water was orally administrated. After the treatment, behavioral tests measuring stepping force were periodically conducted during the next 4 hours. Results : DGHT produced significant improvement of stepping force of the hindlimb affected by the arthritis lasting at least 2 hours. DGHT produced the improvement of stepping force of the affected hindlimb in a dose-dependent manner. Both NO production and nNOS/iNOS protein expression which is increased by arthritis were suppressed by DGHT administration. Conclusions : The data suggest 1) that DGHT produces a potent analgesic effect on the chronic knee arthritis pain model in the rat and 2) that DGHT-induced analgesia modulate endogenous NO through the suppression of nNOS/iNOS protein expression.