Effect of phycocyanin in zymosan-induced arthritis in mice—phycocyanin as an antiarthritic compound

✍ Scribed by Diadelis Remirez; Addys González; Nelson Merino; Ricardo González; Odelsa Ancheta; Cheyla Romay; Sandra Rodríguez

• Book ID: 101265768
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 406 KB
• Volume: 48
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0272-4391
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2299(199910)48:2<70::aid-ddr4>3.0.co;2-n

✦ Synopsis

The antiinflammatory effect of a phycocyanin extract was studied in zymosan-induced arthritis model in mice. Four days after the intraarticular injection of zymosan, (15 mg/ml), phycocyanin (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg p.o) was administered to animals for 8 days. The mice were then killed and the synovial fluid measured for β-glucuronidase. Each knee joint was totally removed for histopathological and ultrastructural studies. Phycocyanin significantly reduced the levels of β-glucuronidase that had been increased by zymosan. Histopathological and ultrastructural studies showed inhibition in cellular infiltration and reduction of synovial hyperplasia and synovitis. The antiinflammatory activity exerted by phycocyanin may be due, at least in part, to its antioxidative properties, although inhibitory effects on both arachidonic acid metabolism and cytokine production such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) may also be involved. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the antiinflammatory effect of phycocyanin in an experimental model of arthritis.