Abstract:Objective: To investigate the effect of Qingpeng paste (QP) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats. Method: CIA was established in female Wistar rats with injection of type II bovine collagen at the base of the tail of animals. CIA rats were treated daily with external administration of different doses of QP or voltaren beginning on the day after the onset of arthritis (day 1) until day 20. Paw swelling rate and the serum levels of IL-1β were determined. Moreover, the expression of TNF-α and IL-α and histopathological changes in the arthritic joints were also observed. Result: QP markedly suppressed the paw swelling rate of arthritic rat, reduced the expression of TNF-α and IL-α in synovial membrane. Histopathological changes in the arthritic joints were also significantly ameliorated in the QP-treated versus vehicle-treated rats. However, the elevated serum levels of IL-1β in arthritic rats were not influenced by QP. Conclusion: The present findings demonstrate the protective property of QP on collagen-induced arthritis, mechanisms underlying it may be related to reduce the expression of IL-1α and TNF-α in synovial membrane.