Evening primrose oil and celecoxib inhibited pathological angiogenesis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in adjuvant-induced arthritis: novel role of angiopoietin-1

Inflammopharmacology. 2014 Oct;22(5):305-17. doi: 10.1007/s10787-014-0200-5. Epub 2014 Mar 25.

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by overproduction of inflammatory mediators along with undermined oxidative defensive mechanisms. Pathological angiogenesis was found to play a critical role in the progression of this disease. The current study was carried out to evaluate the anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects of evening primrose oil (EPO), rich in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), either alone or in combination with aspirin or celecoxib, on adjuvant-induced arthritis. Arthritis was induced by subcutaneous injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in the right hind paw of male albino rats. All treatments were administered orally from day 0 (EPO, 5 g/kg b.w.) or day 4 (celecoxib, 5 mg/kg; aspirin, 150 mg/kg) till day 27 after CFA injection. In the arthritic group, the results revealed significant decrease in the body weight and increase in ankle circumference, plasma angiopoietin-1 (ANG-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Anti-oxidant status was suppressed as manifested by significant decline in reduced glutathione content along with decreased enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase and increased lipid peroxidation. Oral administration of EPO exerted normalization of body weight, ANG-1, and TNF-α levels with restoration of activity as shown by reduced malondialdehyde levels. Moreover, histopathological examination demonstrated that EPO significantly reduced the synovial hyperplasia and inflammatory cells invasion in joint tissues, an effect that was enhanced by combination with aspirin or celecoxib. The joint use of GLA-rich natural oils, which possess anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities, with traditional analgesics represents a promising strategy to restrain the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Angiopoietin-1 / blood
  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Arthritis, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Arthritis, Experimental / pathology
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / drug therapy
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / pathology
  • Aspirin / administration & dosage
  • Aspirin / pharmacology*
  • Celecoxib
  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Linoleic Acids / administration & dosage
  • Linoleic Acids / pharmacology*
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / drug therapy
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / pathology
  • Oenothera biennis
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Plant Oils / administration & dosage
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology*
  • Pyrazoles / administration & dosage
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Sulfonamides / administration & dosage
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood
  • gamma-Linolenic Acid / administration & dosage
  • gamma-Linolenic Acid / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Angiopoietin-1
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Linoleic Acids
  • Plant Oils
  • Pyrazoles
  • Sulfonamides
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • evening primrose oil
  • gamma-Linolenic Acid
  • Celecoxib
  • Aspirin