Abstract
Sesame oil has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat inflammatory pain and irritation of toothache, minor scrapes, cuts, and bruises. We investigated the preventive effect of sesame oil on monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystal-induced acute gouty inflammation in rats. Air pouch, a pseudosynovial cavity, was established by injecting 24 mL of filtered sterile air subcutaneously in the backs of the rats. At day 0, inflammation in air pouch was induced by injecting MSU crystal (5 mg/rat, suspended in sterilized phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4), while sesame oil (0, 1, 2, or 4 mL/kg, orally) was given 6 h before MSU crystal injection. Parameters in lavage and skin tissue from the air pouches were assessed 12 h after MSU. MSU increased the leukocyte counts in lavage, and increased the levels of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 in both lavage and pouch tissue. Pre-treated sesame oil prevents the increase in all the examined parameters. However, no change in lipid peroxidation levels was found in MSU alone group and sesame oil-treated groups. We summarized that sesame oil has a potent preventive effect against MSU crystal-induced acute inflammatory response in rat.
KEYWORDS: Gout, hyperuricemia, monosodium urate monohydrate, inflammation, arthritis, rats
