Ethyl Acetate Extract from Celastrus aculeatus Merr. Suppresses Synovial Inflammation in Adjuvant Arthritis Rats through Apoptosis Induction of CD4⁺CD25⁺FOXP3⁺ T Cells

Figure 1

In vivo anti-inflammation effects of EAE in AA rats induced by Mtb. (a) Effects of EAE on the swelling level of paw in AA rats. 7 days after Mtb injection, the right hind paw volume of rat was detected every three days and arthritis swelling degree was calculated. (b) The arthritis score on paw swelling in AA model induced by Mtb in the presence or absence of EAE treatment. 7 days after Mtb injection, severity of arthritis in each paw was detected every three days and arthritic score was calculated. (c) Effects of EAE on body weight in AA rats induced by Mtb. After 14 days of injection, the body weight of each group was measured every seven days. (d) Effects of EAE on clinical and histological changes of ankle joints. At day 28, rats were sacrificed. The knee synoviums of their hind limbs were harvested and fixated. After paraffin embedding and sectioning at 5 μm thickness, the knee synoviums were stained by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and observed under a microscope.