TRACE-ELEMENT STATUS AND INFLAMMATION PARAMETERS DURING CHRONIC INDOMETHACIN TREATMENT IN ADJUVANT ARTHRITIC RATS

Oral indomethacin administration (2 mg/kg/d) was investigated in rats with adjuvant arthritis up to a period of 5 wk. Baseline low serum zin c levels in arthritic rats increased rapidly from the first week of in domethacin treatment (started 1 or 2 wk after disease induction), wher eas baseline high serum copper decreased after 1-2 wk. After 3-4 wk of treatment, serum zinc levels returned to control values, but serum co pper was somewhat higher in arthritic animals having received indometh acin 2 wk after disease induction than in controls. Clinical indices o f inflammation simultaneously improved to reach control values at the end of the trial. Biological indicators of inflammation also improved, but did not reach control levels. Serum zinc correlated negatively wi th plasma fibrinogen (r = -0.69, p < 0.0005) and serum copper correlat ed positively with serum ceruloplasmin (r = 0.99, p < 0.0005) both in indomethacin-treated and untreated arthritic rats. Contrary to long-te rm glucocorticoid administration that was previously reported to maint ain or aggravate hypozincemia, indomethacin treatment normalized pertu rbed zinc and copper status in arthritic animals.