Protective effect of ethanol extract of Coriolopsis aspera fruiting bodies against adjuvant-induced arthritis mice

Abstract

Coriolopsis aspera is a medicinal mushroom that exerts several pharmacological and biological activities. However, the protective effect of the ethanol extract of C. aspera against arthritis has not been studied yet. In this study, we estimated some bioactive compounds in the ethanol extract of C. aspera fruiting bodies and used the extract with a dose of 400 mg.kg-1 body weight or the reference drug Mobic (0.2 mg.kg-1 body weight) to treat an adjuvant-induced arthritis model. Arthritis severity was determined via the changes in the diameters and volumes of hind paws, arthritic scores, total leukocyte count, ESR, biochemical parameters such as CRP and RF, as well as histological features of ankle joints. We found the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids with a high content (37.79 ± 0.88 mg GAE/g DW and 8.56 ± 0.37 mg QE/g DW, respectively) in the extract. Furthermore, the results showed that Freund’s complete adjuvant-treated mice exhibited a severe arthritic score and histological features, an increase in the diameters and volumes of hind paws, along with an elevation of leukocyte count, erythrocyte sediment rate, and biochemical parameters such as rheumatoid factor and C-reactive protein compared to normal mice. On the contrary, treatment with ethanol extract at a dose of 400 mg.kg-1 body weight for 28 days exhibited a strong anti-arthritis effect and could improve all the testing parameters at the same efficacy as those of the reference drug (Mobic 0.2 mg.kg-1 body weight). These findings suggest a potential application of the ethanol extract of C. aspera for arthritis treatment.