• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.294-300
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• 2005

Uncaria Tomentosa and Maytenus are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatoidal effects after either a single application or application over a short-term period. We applied these natural products to Wister rats every day for two weeks and investigated the effects of this long-term application on inflammation. This was done by measuring footpad edema, which was induced by a locally injected carrageenan. There was a dramatic reduction in edema in both U. Tomentosa- and Maytenus-treated rats; furthermore, the reduction lasted as long as three days for rats treated with U. Tomentosa. When the Balb/C mice underwent similar treatment for one month, the level of IgM in the blood of U. Tomentosa-treated mice decreased while the level of IgG in Maytenus-treated mice increased. This suggests that the long lasting effects of U. Tomentosa may be related to a low level of IgM and the subclass switch from IgM to IgG. Since the anti-inflammatory effects of U. Tomentosa lasts for three days, it may prove useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis when applied for an extended period of time, especially since this product is known to have minimal side effects.