蜂毒肽抗风湿作用及对大鼠脊髓后角Fos表达的影响

运用蜂毒进行抗风湿治疗在传统的中医学上已有近千年的历史,然而对它的主要抗风湿活性成分及其机制还不十分清楚。蜂毒肽占蜂毒干重的50%,是蜂毒的主要活性成分。本研究以SD大鼠为研究对象,以完全弗氏佐剂注入右侧后足垫皮内诱导建立跖关节类风湿关节炎模型,然后分别用蜂毒、蜂毒肽和生理盐水对模型动物进行治疗研究。通过测量跖关节肿胀度、缩足逃避反射时间以及脊髓后角内Fos的表达变化来评价疗效。结果显示:模型动物接受蜂毒肽与蜂毒治疗后,关节肿胀缓解,缩足逃避反射时间显著延长,脊髓后角内Fos的表达明显下降。本结果提示蜂毒肽可能是蜂毒治疗类风湿性关节炎的主要成分。

EFFECTS OF MELITTIN AGAINST RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND FOS EXPRESSION IN SPINAL DORSAL HORN OF THE RAT

It is a millennium history that bee venom was used to prohibit rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese traditional medicine although its main component and mechanism is still unclear. Melittin accounts for 50 percent of whole bee venom and is the main active component in bee venom. In the present study, SD rats were employed as experimental animals and rheumatoid arthritis model was induced by a single subcutaneous injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant into the plantar surface of the right hind paw. Bee venom, melittin and saline were administered for treatment against rheumatoid arthritis in the model rats. The swelling of joints and latency of hind paw withdrawing were measured regularly and evaluated their effects. Changes of Fos expression in the spinal cord was detected with immunohistochemical staining methods. The results showed that subcutaneous injection of melittin could dramatically inhibit joint swelling, pain and Fos expression caused by Freund’s adjuvant injection. The results showed that subcutaneous injection of melittin could dramatically inhibit joint swelling, prolong the latency of hind paw withdrawing, repress Fos expression in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The present results suggest that melittin is the main component for bee venom to treat rheumatoid arthritis.