Objective: To observe the effects of combination therapy with glycyrrhizin (GL) and triptolide (TP) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats.
Method: Sixty male SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: the model group, the TP group, the GL group, and combination 1, 2, 3 groups. The models were induced by collagen type II. The arthritis index (AI) and the edema rate were detected as curative effect, and the level of antibodies to collagen, TNF-alpha and IL-10 were measured by ELISA.
Result: The combination therapy with GL and TP significantly reduced the paw edema and arthritis index of CIA rats (P <0. 01 ), and the combination therapy can increase the level of IL-10, while decrease the level of TNF-alpha, and the level of antibodies to collagen decreased too (P <0.05, P <0.01).
Conclusion: Combine 26.78 mg x kg(-1) GL with 13.40 microg x kg(-1) TP can significantly inhibited the CIA, and the effect equal to the dosage of 17. 86 microg x kg(-1) TP. It supports the possible of GL in combination with TP to reduce the dose and side effects related to TP.