Models of inflammation: adjuvant-induced arthritis in the rat

Injection of adjuvant (Mycobacterium butyricum suspended in mineral oil) into rats produces an immune reaction that characteristically involves inflammatory destruction of cartilage and bone of the distal joints with concomitant swelling of surrounding tissues. Adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats is commonly used to evaluate compounds that might be of potential use as drugs for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory conditions. This unit describes a method for inducing arthritis by injecting adjuvant into the tail and evaluating a test compound for the ability to inhibit the inflammatory response.