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The assessment of bee venom responses in an experimental model of mono-arthritis using Tc-99m DPD bone scintigraphy

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Abstract

Objectives

Several recent studies have shown that bee venom (BV) has an anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect on arthritis. However, objective methods for evaluation of the therapeutic effect of BV is insufficient in animal studies and clinical trials. Our purpose was to determine the usefulness of bone scintigraphy using Tc-99m DPD (3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propan-dicarbonacid) about effects of BV applied to carrageenan-induced mono-arthritis (CIA) model.

Methods

Mono-arthritis was induced by an intra-articular injection of carrageenan in Sprague–Dawley rats. Administration of BV (0.8 mg/kg) was performed at 30 min before and at 4 h after the induction of mono-arthritis. We assigned rats to BV-before, BV-after, control-before and control-after groups and compared the results of each group by the weight-loading test and bone scintigraphy. The rats received an intravenous injection of 37 MBq of Tc-99m DPD by the tail vein and then scanning was performed at 4 and 24 h after the injection. Visual assessment and quantitative analysis were performed for both knees.

Results

The BV-before and BV-after groups were more improved than the control groups on the weight load test (p < 0.05). Bone scintigraphy showed lower activity in the BV-before group than in the control-before group (p < 0.05) on the 4 h imaging. However, a significant difference in the BV-before and BV-after groups was not observed on the 24 h imaging.

Conclusions

BV had therapeutic effects by anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity in the CIA and bone scintigraphy performed on 4 h imaging provided visual and quantitative information for the assessment of the therapeutic response to BV as an objective method in mono-arthritis model.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the grant of the Korea Health 21 R&D Project (Ministry of health, welfare and family Affairs, Republic of Korea, A010251).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Republic of Korea

    Chung-Yong Yang

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, College of Medicine, Wonkwang University and Institute of Wonkwang Medical Science, 344-2 Shinyong-Dong, Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, 570-749, Republic of Korea

    Soon-Ah Park

  3. College of Medicine, Wonkwang University and Institute of Wonkwang Medical Science, Iksan, Republic of Korea

    Kyung-Jae Oh

  4. College of Medicine, Wonkwang University and Institute of Wonkwang Medical Science, Genome Research Center for Immune Disorders, Iksan, Republic of Korea

    Yun Sik Yang

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  1. Chung-Yong Yang
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Correspondence to Soon-Ah Park.

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Yang, CY., Park, SA., Oh, KJ. et al. The assessment of bee venom responses in an experimental model of mono-arthritis using Tc-99m DPD bone scintigraphy. Ann Nucl Med 24, 455–460 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-010-0380-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12149-010-0380-z

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