PURPOSE:To evaluate the effect of curcumin in the acute phase of zymosan-induced arthritis.METHODS:Twenty-eight male rats were subjected to intra-articular infiltration of zymosan of both knees and, in four the infiltration was made with saline. The animals were divided into five groups second received every six hours by gavage: corn oil by (positive and negative control); curcumin (100 mg/kg); prednisone 1 mg/kg/day; prednisone 8 mg/kg. All animals were sacrificed after six, 12, 24 and 48 hours of the infiltration. The knees were removed for evaluation of neutrophil infiltration. The number of neutrophils was counted by computer-assisted analysis of the images. The neutrophil infiltrate was stratified into four grades: 0 = normal; + = mild; ++/+++ = moderate; > ++++ = severe. The results were compared using the Mann-Whitney test and the variance by Kruskal-Wallis test adopting a significance level of 5% (p<0.05).RESULTS:Curcumin reduces inflammatory activity in the first six hours after zymosan-induced arthritis when compared to saline (p<0.01). This was also observed in animals subjected to administration of prednisone (1 mg/kg) and those treated with prednisone (8 mg/kg). Curcumin was more effective than lower doses of prednisone in the first six hours after induction of the arthritis. After 12, 24 and 48 hours, curcumin does not have the same anti-inflammatory effects when compared to prednisone. After 48 hours, prednisone is more effective than curcumin in reducing the inflammatory infiltrate regardless of the dose of prednisone used.CONCLUSION:Oral administration of curcumin reduces inflammation in the first six hours after experimentally zymosan-induced arthritis.

As BMPs, proteínas indutoras de crescimento ósseo, desde o início de sua utilização, têm sido avaliadas em diferentes modelos experimentais objetivando determinar sua eficácia, sendo necessário o estabelecimento de métodos de avaliação que permitam melhor compreensão dos resultados. OBJETIVO: Este estudo tem por objetivo avaliar a utilização da densitometria óssea como método de avaliação do incremento ósseo observado quando da utilização de BMP bovina em artrodeses intertransversas da coluna lombar de coelhos. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados dois grupos de dez coelhos neozelandeses fêmeas, submetidos a artrodese intertransversa da coluna lombar, segmento L5/L6, por via posterior. No primeiro grupo foi utilizado enxerto homólogo e no segundo a associação de enxerto homólogo com biocomposto (BMP bovino, 1,0 mg e hidroxiapatita, 9,0 mg). Os animais foram acompanhados por 15 semanas, isolados em cativeiro e avaliados diariamente por veterinário sob o ponto de vista clínico e neurológico e, posteriormente, submetidos à realização de densitometria óssea por tomografia computadorizada. RESULTADOS: Foram obtidas 268 medidas de densidade óssea do osso normal, 134 medidas do osso neoformado de enxerto homólogo isolado e 134 medidas do osso neoformado pela associação enxerto homólogo e BMP. Esses valores foram submetidos à análise estatística que demonstrou incremento ósseo significativo (p=0,034) do grupo BMP/HAP, quando comparado ao grupo controle. Os valores de densidade óssea do osso normal foram submetidos à mesma análise estatística onde se encontrou resultado semelhante. CONCLUSÃO: A densitometria óssea realizada pela tomografia computadorizada apresenta-se como método alternativo para avaliação de resultados quando utilizado BMP em estudos experimentais. Estudos subseqüentes deverão ser realizados para melhor entendimento da variação de densidade óssea encontrada quando da comparação das medidas do osso normal nos dois grupos.

The object of this study is to evaluate the use of the bone densitometry as an evaluation method of the bone increment observed when we used bovine BMP in intertransverse arthrodesis of the rabbits' lumbar spine. Since the discovery of the BMP bone inductive properties, countless experimental models have been proposed. This caused the need of setting up evaluation methods to make possible a better understanding of the found results. Twenty female rabbits from New Zealand, divided in two groups, were submitted to the intertransverse arthrodesis of the lumbar column, segment L5/L6, posterior side. In the first group it was used autologous graft and in the second an association of autologous graft with biocompound (bovine BMP, 1.0 mg and hydroxyapatite, 9.0 mg). The animals were maintained in captivity, isolated and after 15 weeks submitted to the execution of bone densitometry by computerized tomography. 268 bone density measures of the normal bone, 134 measures of the newly formed bone by the association of the isolated autologous graft and 134 measures of the newly formed bone by the association autologous graft and BMP were obtained, what demonstrated a significant bone increment after statistical analysis (p=0.034) of the BMP/HAP group, when compared to the control group. We found this same variation of bone density analyzing the normal bone. The bone densitometry accomplished by the computerized tomography is an alternative method to assess the results when the BMP is used in experimental studies. Further studies should be accomplished for better understanding of the bone density variation found when the measures of the normal bone in the two groups are compared.