Steroidal alkaloids ameliorate cell proliferation, oxidative stress, inflammation and histology outcome in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of steroidal alkaloids and sarcovagine D isolated from Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna on cell-proliferation and secretion of inflammatory cytokines in TNF-α-induced human RA-FLS MH7A in vitro, and against complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced arthritis rats in vivo. Methods: CCK-8 assay was utilized to evaluate the anti-proliferation activity in vitro. In in-vivo study, rats were randomly divided into control group, model group (CFA), steroidal alkaloids (STA) groups (5.0, 2.5 and 1.25 g/kg BW), and sarcovagine D (SD) groups (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg BW), 10 rats for each group. To evaluate the anti-inflammation effect, the histology, biochemical parameters and expression of inflammatory cytokines were detected. Results: Steroidal alkaloids and sarcovagine D showed strong anti-proliferative activity during MH7A cell culture proliferation and downregulated NO levels, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6 and PGE2) in vitro. The rats treated with CFA induced ankle inflammation and lymphocyte infiltration, upregulated IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-6, PGE2, MDA and NO levels, and downregulated IL-10 and SOD. On the contrary, steroidal alkaloids ameliorated all the changes induced by CFA in rats, suggesting the anti-inflammatory effect of steroidal alkaloids and sarcovagine D. Conclusions: The results suggest that Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna has anti-inflammatory effect. Steroidal alkaloids and sarcovagine D has the potential to cure RA.

Keywords

• rheumatoid arthritis
• mh7a
• sarcovagine d
• steroidal alkaloids
• inflammatory cytokines
• oxidative stress