[Study on therapeutic mechanism of anti-rheumatism action of herba siegesbeckiae].

OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of anti-rheumatism action of the active fraction of Herba Siegesbeckiae (AFHS). METHODS Adjuvant arthritis model of rat was made to observe the effect of AFHS on lymphocyte proliferation, interluekin-1 (IL-1) and IL-2 activity, pathologic section of ankle joint, and analgesic effect of AFHS in model rat. RESULTS AFHS could reduce the inflammatory pathologic response of ankle joint, it functions well as analgesics, the analgesic rate being 65%, AFHS could also improve T-lymphocyte proliferation, improve IL-2 activity and inhibit IL-1 activity, as compared with the control group, the difference was significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Through regulating the immune function of organism, AFHS could improve the local pathologic response so as to antagonise against rheumatism, therefore, it is a good anti-rheumatism herbal medicine.