Alcohol extracts from Anemone flaccida Fr. Schmidt treat rheumatoid arthritis via inhibition of synovial hyperplasia and angiogenesis

Anemone flaccida Fr. Schmidt, a Traditional Chinese Medicine, has been used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for numerous years. However, the specific mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the main chemical constituents and potential mechanisms of Anemone flaccida Fr. Schmidt. The ethanol extract obtained from Anemone flaccida Fr. Schmidt (EAF) was analyzed using mass spectrometry to determine the main components and the therapeutic effects of EAF on RA were verified using a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model. Results of the present study demonstrated that synovial hyperplasia and pannus of the model rats were significantly improved following EAF treatment. Moreover, the protein expression levels of VEGF and CD31-labeled neovascularization were significantly reduced in the synovium of CIA rats following treatment with EAF, compared with those of the untreated model group. Subsequently, in vitro experiments were carried out to verify the impact of EAF on synovial proliferation and angiogenesis. Results of the western blot analysis revealed that EAF inhibited the PI3K signaling pathway in endothelial cells, which is associated with anti-angiogenesis. In conclusion, results of the present study demonstrated the therapeutic effects of Anemone flaccida Fr. Schmidt on RA and preliminarily revealed the mechanisms of this drug in the treatment of RA.