Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in synovial fluid, serum, and urine of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Bioflavonoid Robinin from Astragalus falcatus Lam. Mildly Improves the Effect of Metothrexate in Rats with Adjuvant Arthritis

Anti-inflammatory potential of orally administrated bioflavonoid-robinin, active sub-stance of original drug Flaroninum™ (FL), was investigated in the combination with methotrexate (MTX) and in monotherapy in rats suffering from adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA). Robinin (kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside) was isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus falcatus Lam. The monotherapy with robinin was not efficient in alleviating symptoms of AA. The combination of MTX with robinin was similarly active as MTX alone in reducing the hind paw volume and change of body weight during the whole experiment. The combination, however, reduced plasma levels of Interleukin-17Aand activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase in joint more efficiently then MTX alone. Our results demonstrate that the novel combination of robinin and MTX mildly improved the reduction of inflammation in experimental arthritis.

Effect of parasitic infestation on carpal synovial constituents in donkeys (Equus asinus)

The present study was carried out to examine the physical, microscopical and biochemical parameters of the synovial fluid from the carpal joints of donkeys suffering from Strongylus spp. and Parascaris equorum infestation. Forty-five donkeys were selected out from a total of sixty animals based on faecal analysis. Animals were divided into 3 groups, which included Strongylus spp. (n=23), mixed infestation (n=17, Strongylus spp. and Parascaris equorum) and control (n=5) groups. The aspirated synovial fluid from all animals (n=45) was examined physically and microscopically. Then, the total protein, albumin, globulins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, glucose levels, and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were measured in the serum and synovial fluid of all animals. The results revealed no changes of the physical and microscopical features of the synovial fluid of the infested and control animals but there were significant decreases in total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose and magnesium levels in the serum of Strongylus and mixed infection groups. The synovial fluid analysis exhibited an increase of calcium and phosphorus levels, and ALP activity, and decreased levels of total protein, glucose and GGT in Strongylus and mixed groups. The results of this study suggested significant changes in some biochemical parameters in both serum and synovial fluids in donkeys suffering from parasitic infestation.

Markers of inflammation and oxidative stress studied in adjuvant-induced arthritis in the rat on systemic and local level affected by pinosylvin and methotrexate and their combination

Oxidative stress (OS) is important in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its experimental model--adjuvant arthritis (AA). Antioxidants are scarcely studied in autoimmunity, and future analyses are needed to assess its effects in ameliorating these diseases. Although there are studies about antioxidants effects on the course of RA, their role in combination therapy has not yet been studied in detail, especially on extra-articular manifestations of AA. During the 28-d administration of pinosylvin (PIN) in monotherapy and in combination with methotrexate (MTX) to AA rats, we evaluated the impact of the treatment on selected parameters. The experiment included: healthy controls, untreated AA, AA administered 50 mg/kg b.w. of PIN daily p.o., AA administered 0.4 mg/kg b.w. of MTX twice weekly p.o. and AA treated with a combination of PIN+MTX. AA was monitored using: hind paw volume, C-reactive protein, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and F2-isoprostanes in plasma, γ-glutamyltransferase activity in spleen, activity of lipoxygenase (LOX) in lung, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) in liver and lung. PIN monotherapy significantly improved the activation of NF-κB in liver and lung, HO-1 expression and activity of LOX in the lung, MCP-1 levels in plasma (on 14th d) and plasmatic levels of F2-isoprostanes. An important contribution of PIN to MTX effect was the reduction of OS (an increase of HO-1 expression in lung and reduction of plasmatic TBARS) and decrease of LOX activity in the lung.

Pharmacological influence on processes of adjuvant arthritis: Effect of the combination of an antioxidant active substance with methotrexate

Oxygen metabolism has an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. A certain correlation was observed between oxidative stress, arthritis and the immune system. Reactive oxygen species produced in the course of cellular oxidative phosphorylation and by activated phagocytic cells during oxidative burst, exceed the physiological buffering capacity and result in oxidative stress. The excessive production of ROS can damage protein, lipids, nucleic acids, and matrix components. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an altered antioxidant defense capacity barrier. In the present study the effect of substances with antioxidative properties, i.e. pinosylvin and carnosine, was determined in monotherapy for the treatment of adjuvant arthritis (AA). Moreover carnosine was evaluated in combination therapy with methotrexate. Rats with AA were administered first pinosylvin (30 mg/kg body mass daily per os), second carnosine (150 mg/kg body mass daily per os) in monotherapy for a period of 28 days. Further, rats with AA were administered methotrexate (0.3 mg/kg body mass 2-times weekly per os), and a combination of methotrexate+carnosine, with the carnosine dose being the same as in the previous experiment. Parameters, i.e. changes in hind paw volume and arthritic score were determined in rats as indicators of destructive arthritis-associated clinical changes. Plasmatic levels of TBARS and lag time of Fe²⁺-induced lipid peroxidation (tau-FeLP) in plasma and brain were specified as markers of oxidation. Plasmatic level of CRP and activity of γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in spleen and joint were used as inflammation markers. In comparison to pinosylvin, administration of carnosine monotherapy led to a significant decrease in the majority of the parameters studied. In the combination treatment with methotrexate+carnosine most parameters monitored were improved more remarkably than by methotrexate alone. Carnosine can increase the disease-modifying effect of methotrexate treatment in rat AA.

Effect of methotrexate on inflammatory cells redistribution in experimental adjuvant arthritis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes in the spleen, the thymus and the knee joints of rats with experimental adjuvant arthritis induced by Mycobacterium butyricum in the incomplete Freund's adjuvant and the effect of treatment with methotrexate (MTX). Particular attention was aimed on the redistribution of granulocytes in the tissues during the inflammatory process. Clinical parameters, e.g., joint edema, body weight and of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity as an inflammatory marker, have also been determined. Induction of adjuvant arthritis caused a significant decrease in granulocyte number in the spleen and vice versa a significant increase in the knee joints, but without significant changes in the thymus. Treatment with methotrexate reversed this phenomenon by increasing the granulocyte number in the spleen and decreasing it in knee joints. MTX decreased the joint edema as well as the activity of GGT in the spleen, modified the size of the white pulp of the spleen and increased the cortex/medulla ratio in the thymus. The observed changes support the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of MTX supporting its use as the first-line medication in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Studies on serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in primary idiopathic hypothyroidism patients

Variations in the levels of serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) were measured in control subjects and in 39 adult primary idiopathic hypothyroidism (PIH) patients. The serum GGT activity was low in PIH patients compared to that of control subjects. A more significant correlation was found between serum GGT and T3 (r = 0.766) but not with T4 (r = 0.476). The comparison of serum GGT with TSH has revealed that those two parameters are not parallel with each other (r = -0.454). No significant correlation between serum GGT activity, age, and sex in PIH patients and control subjects was observed. The present available data indicate that measurement of serum GGT might be useful as a marker index in PIH patients.