Treatment of adjuvant arthritis in mice with yeast superoxide dismutase

Yeast Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SODy) was used for treatment of adjuvant- induced arthritis in mice. SODy was applied intraperitoneally (i.p.) in dos es of 10 mg/kg (30 000 U/kg) and 30 mg/kg (90 000 U/kg) one or three times daily on consecutive days. It was very effective in I-educing the paw swell ing whether administered before or immediately after induction or when the treatment began at the onset of inflammation or at the peak of the arthriti c process. The effect of yeast SOD was compared to that of commercial SOD f rom bovine erythrocytes (SODb), as well as with indomethacin treatment. His tological data confirmed the antiinflammatory effect of yeast SOD. The sche dules and doses tested did not elicit anti-SOD antibodies in serum.