The Effects of Aurothiomalate acupuncture on Type II Collagen-induced Arthritis

금주사액약침(金注射液藥鍼)이 제2형 콜라겐 유도 관절염(關節炎)에 미치는 영향(影響)

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Aurothiomalate acupuncture containing Sodium Aurothiomalate on Type II collagen-induced arthritic DBA/1 mice. Methods : The mice were divided into three groups, one control group and two test groups. The control group was injected with saline on Choksamni(ST36) and the two test groups were injected either with Aurothiomalate acupuncture into Choksamni(AT1 group), or with Aurothiomalate acupuncture into Hwando(G30, AT2 group). We measured the incidence of arthritis, the mean index of arthritis, the number of arthritic limbs for the clinical examination and evaluation. We also examined the changes in the level of TNF-$\alpha$ and IL-$1{\beta}$. Results : 1. The incidence of arthritis in mice of the AT1 and AT2 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. 2. The mean indices of arthritis in mice of the AT1 and AT2 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. 3. The mean number of arthritic limbs in mice of the AT1 and AT2 groups were significantly lower than that of the control group. 4. The levels of TNF-$\alpha$ of the mice in the AT1 and AT2 groups were significantly different from that of the control group. 5. The levels of IL-$1{\beta}$ of the mice in the AT1 and AT2 groups were not significantly different from that of the control group. Conclusion : These results indicate that the treatment with Aurothiomalate acupuncture could improve the clinical status of Arthritis by suppressing immune responses in the mice of Type II collagen-induced arthritic.