Objective: To investigate the effect of the saponins of Thladiantha dubia (STDR)on the nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) p65 mRNA

interleukin(IL)-6 mRNA and IL-10 mRNA expression in tissue of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) rat's paw. Method: Fifty male SD rats were randomly taked 10 as control group

and the rest used Freund's adjuvant induced adjuvant arthritis.Fifty rats which successfully induced by adjuvant were randomly divided into five groups:model group

SRTD 160

80

40 mg·kg-1·d-1 groups and Tripterygium glycosides 12 mg·kg-1·d-1 group.Each group was given corresponding medicine

group model and control group was given distilled water

for 21 days.The expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA

IL-6 mRNA

IL-10 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Result: Compared with nomal control group

the expression of NF-κB p65 and IL-6 mRNA increased significantly (P<0.01)

and the expression of IL-10 decreased significantly (P<0.01) in the model group group. The relative expression levels of NF-κB p65 mRNA IL-6 mRNA of the three STDR groups were significantly lower than the model group(P<0.01); while the relative expression levels of IL-10 mRNA of STDR groups were significantly higher than the model group (P<0.01). Conclusion: The therapeutic effect on RA rats maybe related to decreasing the expression levels of NF-κB p65 andIL-6 mRNA

and increasing IL-10 mRNA.