Suppressive Effects of JCICM-6, the Extract of an Anti-arthritic Herbal Formula, on the Experimental Inflammatory and Nociceptive Models in Rodents

JCICM-6, the extract of an anti-arthritic herbal formula composed of medicinal herbs of Sinomenium acutum, Aconitum carmichaeli DEBX., Curcuma Longa L., Paeonia lactiflora PALL., and Paeonia suffruticosa ANDR., was examined in the effectiveness and mechanism in reducing experimentally-induced inflammation and nociception using nine animal models. JCICM-6 was extracted from herbs and purified with Amberlite XAD-7HP adsorbent resin and analyzed with HPLC-fingerprint for quality consistency. In acute inflammatory models, the paw edema of rats was induced by subcutaneous injection of carrageenan or pro-inflammatory mediators, including histamine, serotonin, bradykinin, and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) into the right hind paws of animals; while the ear edema of mice was induced by applying arachidonic acid or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) on the ear surface. In nociceptive models, the tail-flick response induced by radiant heat stimulation was measured and the numbers of abdominal writhing episodes of mice induced by intraperitoneal injection of acetic acid were recorded. JCICM-6 orally administered in a range of dosages from 0.438 g to 1.75 g/kg significantly and dose-dependently suppressed the paw edema of rats induced by carrageenan or various pro-inflammatory mediators and the ear edema of mice induced by arachidonic acid or TPA. JCICM-6 also significantly prolonged the reaction time of rats to radiant heat stimulation and reduced the numbers of writhing episodes of mice. These results indicated that JCICM-6 possesses significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, which implies that it would be a potential candidate for further investigation as a new anti-arthritic botanical drug for humans.