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Suppressive effects of Stephania tetrandra on the neutrophil function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
Author(s) -
Sekiya Nobuyasu,
Shimada Yutaka,
Niizawa Atsushi,
Kogure Toshiaki,
Mantani Naoki,
Sakai Shinya,
Hikiami Hiroaki,
Terasawa Katsutoshi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.1396
Subject(s) - rheumatoid arthritis , medicine , elastase , granulocyte , arthritis , immunology , neutrophil elastase , traditional medicine , pharmacology , enzyme , chemistry , biochemistry , inflammation
Crude preparations of Stephania tetrandra (ST), a traditional herbal medicine, have been used safely for arthritis and silicosis in China. The concentration of granulocyte elastase – alpha 1 protease inhibitor complex in plasma is enhanced in inammatory processes, e.g. in septicaemia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), being an expression of granulocyte activation during inammatory response. It has previously been reported that ST showed benecial and immunomodulatory effects in the treatment of relatively mild RA. After the administration of ST for 12 weeks, the proportion of granulocytes and the granulocyte count in peripheral blood decreased signicantly. The lipid peroxide and human granulocyte elastase levels of stored plasma declined signicantly. Furthermore, both the leukocyte/elastase ratio and granulocyte/elastase ratio increased signicantly. The ndings of this study suggest that the suppressive effect of ST administration on excessive granulocyte activation resulted in the improvement of inammation with rheumatoid arthritis. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.