Trikatu, a herbal compound mitigates the biochemical and immunological complications in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats.

AIM: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder with multi-factorial factors influencing disease alleviation in synovial joints. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-arthritic efficacy of trikatu, a herbal compound, on biochemical and immunological complications in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats.

METHODS: Arthritis was induced in rats by a single intradermal injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (0.1 mL) into the foot pad of the right hind paw. Trikatu (1000 mg/kg body weight, oral) and indomethacin (3 mg/kg body weight, intrap intraperitoneal) were administered for 8 days from days 11 to 18 after adjuvant injection.

RESULTS: Our present study results evidenced a significant alteration in the activities/levels of lysosomal enzymes, protein bound carbohydrates, bone collagen, urinary constituents like hydroxyproline and total glycosaminoglycans, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant status, lipid profiles, rheumatoid factor and inflammatory mediators in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats. Trikatu treatment (1000 mg/kg/body weight) reverted back all the above biochemical and immunological parameters to near normal levels in arthritic rats as evidenced by the radiological and histopathological assessements .

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that trikatu could be a promising alternative drug for the control and management of rheumatoid arthritis.