ANTI-ARTHRITIC POTENTIAL OF CRUDE EXTRACT OF FISHTAIL BRUSH FRUITS ON COMPLETE FREUND'S ADJUVANT-INDUCED RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IN MICE

Abstract

Caryota nanas Lour is one of the most popular plants in Vietnam. Vietnamese people usually use C. nanas as a traditional medicine to treat arthritis, gastritis, scabies, and boils, or natural pain relief. However, the anti-arthritic effect of C. nanas fruit extract has not been scientifically proven or documented yet. The current study evaluated the ameliorative effect of crude extract of Caryota nanas L. fruits (EeCN) (with three doses of about 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight) on the arthritis model induced by Freund's complete adjuvant. The changes in paw circumference and diameter, arthritis index and score, inflammatory parameter, and histological changes in the joint tissue of experimental groups were recorded. Unlike the untreated group, the group treated with EeCN showed a significant decrease in the relative weight of thymus and spleens (6.32% and 7.09%, respectively), body and paw temperature (1.4^oC và 1.3^oC), paw circumference and diameter (10.34 mm and 8.89 mm), arthritis index and score (17.25 and 7.87), WBCs, ESR, RF, CRP levels (2.94 x10³cells/mm³, 2.41 mm/hr, 6.71 mg/L, and 6.27 mg/L, respectively) (p<0.001), and remarkably increased body weight (13.57%), RBC level (2.96 x10⁶cells/mm³) (p<0.001). Histopathological examination showed a gross reduction in synovial inflammation and cartilage damage, as well as a significant improvement in joint space. The crude ethanol extract of Caryota nanas L. fruit (300 mg/kg) has the potential for the treatment of arthritis; it could be a promising candidate for the management of arthritis.