Dolichos falcata Klein attenuated the inflammation induced by monosodium urate crystals in vivo and in vitro

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Dolichos falcata Klein (DF), a Chinese Dai ethnic medicine popularly known as Tuoyeteng in Yunnan province of China, has been widely used as a traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of fracture and beriberoid disease for a long time in China. The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity and the bioactive chemical constituents of DF, and further to assess its possible mechanism on gouty arthritis in an animal model of the MSU crystals-induced gouty inflammation. Materials and methods: The ethanol extract (EE) of DF at the doses of 10,20 and 40 mg/kg was administered to the rats treated with MSU crystals to evaluate the anti-gouty arthritis effect Subsequently, the components of EE were isolated and identified using classical methods. Phyto-chemical analysis of EE was further carried out by HPLC-DAD. Finally, the anti-inflammatory effect of EE and two isolated components were assessed using the MSU crystals-treated monocyte/macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 in vitro. Results: EE (10,20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the pain threshold value, the joint swelling degree, the inflammatory cell infiltration of articular tissue and the increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in MSU crystals-treated rats. Moreover, doliroside A (DA) and medicagenic acid-3-0-beta-D-glucopyranoside (MG) were isolated and identified from EE. The major components of EE, including DA, MG and other triterpenoids, were well confirmed by HPLC A further study revealed that EE, DA and MG (10, 20, 40 mu g/mL) exhibited stronger inhibitory effects on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (including interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) in MSU crystals-treated RAW 264.7 cells. Conclusion: These findings indicate that the major triterpenoids present in DF have a remarkable effect on improving symptoms of acute gouty arthritis induced by MSU crystals through inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.