Effect of superoxide dismutase from bovine erythrocytes on different activity parameters in adjuvant-induced arthritis

Background. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effect of superoxi de dismutase (SOD) on primary swelling, lipoperoxidation, body thymus, and spleen weight in the adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) model in rats. Methods. Orally and intraperitoneally administered SOD (100 U/kg) from bovi ne erythrocytes, as well as naproxen (40 mg/kg) and dexamethasone (25 mg/kg ), were evaluated against placebo. Results. Primary edema was not decreased by SOD; in contrast, naproxen and dexamethasone showed good anti-inflammatory activity. Lipoperoxidation incr eased 1.8, 2.5, and 2.8 times with intraperitoneal SOD, naproxen, and dexam ethasone administration, respectively, while oral SOD decreased lipoperoxid ation levels to approximately one-half of that found in the control group. Body weight increased with SOD but decreased with dexamethasone. Naproxen d id not change the animal weight. Thymus weight remained unchanged with SOD and naproxen, while it decreased with dexamethasone. Spleen weight remained the same with SOD, but increased with naproxen and decreased with dexameth asone. No side effects were observed in the SOD group, whereas 20% of the r ats in the naproxen group died of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and 50% Of t he rats in the dexamethasone group, of pulmonary infection. Conclusions. In conclusion, SOD showed no anti-inflammatory activity but de creased lipoperoxidation when administered orally, No deleterious effects i n primary and secondary immunologic organs were observed with this agent. ( C) 1999 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.