Abstract
To develop a composition for enhancing immunity, based on alcohol extracts of the bumblebee as an active ingredient, bumblebee ethanol extracts were evaluated for their protective effect in chronic models of inflammation, adjuvant induced rat arthritis. B. terrestris worker extract (SDIEX) and, B. hypocrita sapporoensis lava and pupa extract (SPDYBEX), significantly decreased paw edema in arthritic rats, at a dose 100 mg/kg, respectively. The cytokine levels related inflammation of COX-2, sPLA2, VEGF, and TNF-α, were decreased, compared to positive control, indomethacin (5 mg/kg). Histopathological data demonstrated decreases inflammatory activity, hind paw edema, and repaired hyaline articular cartilage in DRG over a 2 wk administration. HPLC and GC-MS analysis of SDIEX and SPDYBEX revealed the presence of cantharidin.
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Abbreviations
- SDIEX:
-
B. terrestris worker extract
- SPDYBEX:
-
B. hypocrita sapporoensis lava and pupa extract
- CFA:
-
Complete Freund’s adjuvant
- SC:
-
subcutaneously
- SD:
-
Sprague-Dawley
- COX:
-
cyclooxygense
- IL:
-
interleukin; PLA2
- VEGF:
-
vascular endothelial growth factor
- TNF-α:
-
tumor necrosis factor-α
- SDIEX:
-
B. terrestris worker extract
- SPDYBEX:
-
B. hypocrita sapporoensis lava and pupa extract
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This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Ahn, M.Y., Kim, S.J., Han, J.W. et al. Immune Modulation of B. terrestris Worker (a Type of Bumblebee), Extract on CFA-induced Paw Edema in Rats. Toxicol Res. 30, 277–282 (2014). https://doi.org/10.5487/TR.2014.30.4.277
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5487/TR.2014.30.4.277