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Anti-inflammatory activity of sappanchalcone isolated from Caesalpinia sappan L. in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model

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Abstract

Sappanchalcone, a bioactive flavonoid isolated from the heartwood of Caesalpinia sappan L. possesses anti-inflammatory effects. We studied the efficacy of sappanchalcone in attenuating collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis. Sappanchalcone was purified to homogeneity from the chloroform fraction of the methanolic extract of C. sappan, and identified using mass spectrometry and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. CIA-induced male DBA/1J mice were divided into control, sappanchalcone-treated, and methotrexate-treated groups (n = 10 per group). Paw swelling, arthritis severity, radiographic and histomorphometric changes were assessed to measure the protective role of sappanchalcone against chronic disease progression. Sappanchalcone administration significantly reduced clinical arthritis and inflammatory edema in paws. Bone mineral density and trabecular structure were maintained in CIA mice administered sappanchalcone. The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and 1L-1β) were significantly lower in the serum of sappanchalcone-treated mice as compared with the control group. Our results suggest that sappanchalcone could be used as an anti-inflammatory and bone-protective agent during the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the Soonchunhyang University Research Fund.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Chungnam, 336-745, Republic of Korea

    Eui-Gil Jung, Kook-Il Han, Wan-Jong Kim, Kung-Woo Nam & Man-Deuk Han

  2. Department of Dental Hygiene, Gimcheon University, 214 Daehakro, Gimcheon, Gyungbuk, 740-704, Republic of Korea

    Hyun-Jung Kwon

  3. Division of Plant Biotechnology, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea

    Bharat Bhusan Patnaik

  4. School of Biotechnology, Trident Academy of Creative Technology (TACT), Bhubaneswar, 751024, India

    Bharat Bhusan Patnaik

  5. Department of Pharmacology, Daejeon Regional Cancer Center, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, 6 Munhwa-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 301-747, Republic of Korea

    Gang Min Hur

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  1. Eui-Gil Jung
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Correspondence to Man-Deuk Han.

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Jung, EG., Han, KI., Kwon, HJ. et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of sappanchalcone isolated from Caesalpinia sappan L. in a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model. Arch. Pharm. Res. 38, 973–983 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-015-0557-z

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