ANTIINFLAMMATORY AND IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE COMPONENTS OF TRIPTERYGIUM-WILFORDII HOOK-F

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. is a perennial twining vine belonging to the family Celastraceae. The plant has a long history in traditional Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of fever, chills, oedema and inflammation. A refined extract from the root xylem, called GTW, has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, chronic nephritis and various skin disorders. Clinical observations in China over the past 20 years have shown promising results in a large number of cases. Over 60 pure components including alkaloids, diterpenes and triterpenes have been isolated and identified from this plant. Celastrol, a triterpene compound, was proved to be an identical immunosuppressor. It inhibited the proliferation in mice of splenic cells induced by the mitogens PHA, Con A, LPS and PWM. Optimal effects were seen at 0.1 mug/ml. Celastrol (1 to 3 mg/kg i.p. daily) reduced antibody formation in ICR inbred mice very significantly; at the same time it increased serum complement and decreased circulating immune complex levels. Celastrol decreased LPS-induced IL-1 production from peritoneal macrophages as well as Con A-induced IL-2 production from splenic lymphocytes dose dependently. It also reduced joint oedema in rats with experimental adjuvant arthritis, which may be correlated to the inhibition of lipid-peroxidation and free radical formation in AA rats.