Anti-inflammatory potential of Tapinanthus globiferus (Loranthaceae) leaves as an alternative treatment against arthritis

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune inflammatory disease which treatment remains a challenge, due to adverse effects caused by conventional medicines. The study assesses the effects of aqueous extract of Tapinanthus globiferus leaves on complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA)-induced rheumatoid arthritis in rat. Rheumatoid arthritis was induced by inoculation of 0.1 mL of CFA under the plantar aponeurosis of rat. Animals were daily treated for 10 days with distilled water (10 mL/kg), sodium diclofenac (5 mg/kg) and aqueous extract of T. globiferus at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Healthy animals received distilled water (10 mL/kg). The volume of edema of the hind paw was measured using a plethysmometer. At the end of the treatment the animals were sacrificed, blood was collected for hematological and biochemical analyses. Some organs such as liver, kidney and tibiotarsal joint were used for biochemical and histological analyses. The administration of the aqueous extract of T. globiferus to diseased rats significantly alleviated physiological impairement by reducing of paw volume (p < 0.001), protecting animals from anemia (p < 0.001), leukocytosis (p < 0.001), transaminases activity increasing (p < 0.001), alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.01) and hypercreatininemia (p < 0.001). The plant extract has improved the antioxidant status of animals (p < 0.001) and the architectural organisation at joint level. The beneficial effects generated by the aqueous extract of T. globiferus leaves against the physiological dysfunctions caused by CFA justify its current use in the traditional treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.