European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ANTI-ARTHRITIC AND ANTI-OXIDANT ACTIVITY OF CRAB SHELL CHITIN AND BEE VENOM MELITTIN BY PAPAIN INDUCED OSTEOARHRITIS IN RABBITS

Ravindra Babu Sajja*, Prasad K, Eswar Kumar K and G.Phani C Reddy

ABSTRACT

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint degenerative disease associated with ageing and excessive weight as important risk factors. As Matrix metalloproteinase’s (MMPs) are the prominent biomarkers in degenerative diseases. Our objective was to investigate whether the bee venom and chitin has inhibitory activity on MMPs on papain induced osteoarthritis in rabbits. Bee venom was collected by electric stimulation method and chitin was extracted from crab shells by fermentation. To assess the activities, MMP-3 levels in synovial fluids are estimated by zymography method. Treatment with bee venom (1.2mg/kg s.c) and chitin (80mg/kg i.a) reduced MMP-3 levels in synovial fluid. Our data shows that bee venom and chitin has MMP-inhibition when compared with prednisolone treated group and control group the data obtained were significant. The anti-oxidant activity of Bee venom and Chitin was evaluated by free radical scavenging activity by DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method.

Keywords: Bee venom, Melittin, Chitin, Matrix metalloproteinase, Osteoarthritis.