Abstract

PHARMACOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF ANTI-ARTHRITIC POTENTIAL OF SIDDHA FORMULATION THEER ANDHASKHAN MATHIRAI ON FREUND’S ADJUVANT INDUCED ARTHRITIS IN WISTAR RATS

R. Naveen Kumar*, N. Anbu and D. Sivaraman

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology marked by a symmetric, peripheral polyarthritis. It is the most common form of chronic inflammatory arthritis and often results in joint damage and physical disability. RA may lead to different extra-articular manifestations including fatigue, subcutaneous nodules, lung involvement, pericarditis, peripheral neuropathy, vasculitis and hematologic abnormalities. The identification and characterization of RF as an autoantibody that binds to the Fc portion of IgG. It was the first direct evidence that autoimmunity might play a role in RA. Although IgG and IgM RFs are the most abundant in RA, IgE RF has also been demonstrated, especially in patients with extraarticular manifestations.[1] Siddha system of medicine has greater number of potential formulations having special focus to treat Rheumatoid arthritis, one such drug listed in the literature Anuboga Vaithiya Navaneetham, Part IV is Theer Andhaskhan Mathirai (TAM).[2] The main aim of the present study is to evaluate the ant-arthritic potential of the Siddha formulation Theer Andhaskhan Mathirai in Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis model. CFA induced arthritis is a scientifically justified standard experimental procedure for the induction of chronic immune-pathological RA in laboratory animals with similar cellular immunity response and pathological mechanism as in human. Results of the study indicates that the Siddha drug Theer Andhaskhan Mathirai is significantly alleviated arthritic swelling (paw volume and thickness) and also shown reduction in arthritic score in treated group. These results were well justified by the radiological and histopathological outcomes. Hence it was concluded from the data of investigation that the formulation Theer Andhaskhan Mathirai may be an excellent drug of choice in treating rheumatoid arthritis even at clinical level with proper validation.

Keywords: Siddha, Rheumatoid arthritis, Autoimmune, Inflammation and deformity.