Effects Of A Japanese Herbal Medicine Saireito On Murine Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis

Abstract

Purpose: : Saireito is a traditional Japanese herbal medicine that has effects of reduction of edema and immunomodulation. To evaluate the effect of saireito on uveitis, we examined the effectivness of oral administration of saireito on murine experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) model.

Methods: : Murine EAU was induced with subcutaneous injection of human interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) peptide mixed with complete Freund’s adjuvant. In saireito group, 2g/kg of saireito was administrated orally from 0 to 20 days after immunization. Clinical scoring, histopathological scoring of EAU and cytokine assessment were performed.

Results: : EAU developed occurred in 32 of 38 (86%) of mice in untreated group and 12 of 33 (36%) in saireito-treatment group. The clinical score of EAU in untreated group and that in saireito-treatment group were 1.56±1.65 and 0.59±0.63 at 14 days after immunization (p<0.01, Student’s unpaired t-test), and 2.26±1.56 and 0.75±1.31 at 21 days (p<0.01), respectively. The histopathological score at 21 days after immunization was 1.47±1.42 in untreated group, and 0.54±0.84 in saireito-treatment group (p<0.01). Interferon-γ and TNF-α production in cervical lymph node cells from saireito-treatment group were significantly reduced compared with those from untreated group.

Conclusions: : Oral administration of saireito has an inhibitory effect on murine EAU, probably through the reduction of the proliferation of helper type-1 T cells in cervical lymph node.

Keywords: uveitis-clinical/animal model • autoimmune disease • drug toxicity/drug effects