Integrating Traditional Medicine into Modern Inflammatory Diseases Care: Multitargeting by Rhus verniciflua Stokes

Table 3

Biological activities of Rhus verniciflua Stokes as shown in in vivo studies.

Model	Effect
Antidiabetic
Rat	Exhibited a decrease in blood glucose levels and blood TBARS concentrations in STZ-induced diabetic rats [44].
Mouse	Decreased in plasma lipid levels (TC, TG, and LDL) and inhibited the activity of HMG-CoA reductase and the levels of TBARS in Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidemic mice [45].
Anti-inflammatory
Mouse	Reduced carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema [22].
Mouse	Exhibited activities on vascular permeability, leukocyte migration, and cellular immunity and reduced the incidence and severity of collagen-induced arthritis model [29].
Antioxidative
Mouse	Increased the activities of detoxicant enzymes (CAT, SOD, and GPx) in Triton WR-1339-induced hyperlipidemic mice [45].
Hepatoprotection
Mouse	Suppressed an AFB1-induced increase in serum levels of ALT, ALP, and LDH, prevented MDA formation, and blocked decreases in glutathione levels and SOD [46].
Mouse	Protected from liver damage through inhibited radical scavenging ability, enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes, increased the NO production, and decreased the NF-κB and AP-1 activations [47].
Neurodegenerative diseases
Rat	Increased in BDNF and GDNF protein levels in the rat brain [35].
Protection from chemical insults
Mouse	Exhibited potential against cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity and ROS production [29].
Other activities
Mouse	Modulated TPA-induced apoptosis, cytokine production, and T/B cell proliferation in splenocytes [48].
Rat	Exhibited an antifibrogenic activity by inhibition of collagen accumulation and lipid peroxidation and by downregulation of the expression of both α 1(I) collagen and TIMP-1 mRNA on liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 [49].

AFB-1: aflatoxin B-1; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; ALT: alanine aminotransferase; AP-1: activator protein-1; BDNF: brain-derived neurotrophic factor; CAT: catalase; CCl₄: carbon tetrachloride; GDNF: glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor; GPx: glutathione peroxidase; HMG-CoA: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; MDA: malondialdehyde; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa B; NO: nitric oxide; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SOD: superoxide dismutase; STZ: streptozotocin; TBARS: thiobarbituric acid reactive substance; TC: total cholesterol, TG: triglyceride; TIMP-1: tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1; TPA: 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate.