Author(s)

Mayda Yanik Aquino-Vega, Lorena Rodríguez-Páez, Patricia Arce-Paredes, Víctor G. Hernández-Chávez, Enrique Becerril-Villanueva, Oscar Rojas-Espinosa

Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D.F., México.
Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D.F., México.
Departamento de Inmunología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D.F., México;.
Departamento de Morfología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D.F., México.

Aim of the Study: The primary aim of the study was to test the effect of 2,4,5-trimethoxy-1-propenylbenzene (alpha asarone), a hypocholes terolaemic drug, on the progression of collagen induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. Olive oil,the vehicle of alpha-asarone, and dexamethasonewere used as control treatments. Set-Up: Four groups of DBA/1 mice were immunised with chicken type II collagen (CII) via the intradermal route and either left untreated or were treated with alpha asarone, olive oil, or dexamethasone. A non-immunised group was an additional control. Follow-Up: The thicknesses of the rear and front footpads were continuously monitored, and the levels of anti-collagen antibodies were measured at the end of the experiment. The animals were then sacrificed, and their rear and front limbs were removed and processed forhistological examination. Results: Alpha asarone had no anti-inflammatory effect on CIA, and in one third of the animals, it showed a proinflammatory effect that was characterised by a marked accumulation of neutrophils. Olive oil did not show any obvious antiinflammatory effect on CIA, but it lowered the level of CII antibodies by 50%, suggesting a potential long-term antiinflammatory effect. As expected, dexamethasone had a clear anti-inflammatory effect on CIA. Con- clusion: Alpha asarone did not show any antiinflammatory effect on CIA in the mice under the above conditions; however, the accumulation of neutrophils in the CIA lesions of mice treated with alpha asarone and the effect of olive oil in downregulating the levels of anti-CII antibodies in CIA are two findings that warrant further investigation.

Collagen; Arthritis; Mouse; Asarone; Olive Oil; Dexamethasone

Aquino-Vega, M., Rodríguez-Páez, L., Arce-Paredes, P., Hernández-Chávez, V., Becerril-Villanueva,E. and Rojas-Espinosa, O. (2013) The effect of alpha asarone, olive oil, and dexamethasone on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in the mouse. Modern Research in Inflammation, 2, 9-20. doi: 10.4236/mri.2013.21002.