Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease with progressive degradation of cartilage and joints. Additionally,
gastric ulcer affects many patients who make prolonged use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs widely used in the symptomatic treatment of
rheumatoid arthritis.
Nerolidol, a natural
sesquiterpene, has several biological activities including anti-inflammatory and antiulcerogenic action. This study aims to develop and characterize a
nerolidol ß-
cyclodextrin inclusion complex and to evaluate its activity in an
experimental arthritis model. Inclusion complex was prepared by the lyophilization method and characterized by NMR, term analysis, XRD and SEM. Neutrophil migration assays and histopathological analysis were performed on
zymosan-induced
arthritis model using Swiss mice. And the gastroprotective effect was evaluated in two models of
gastric ulcers: induced by
ethanol and
indomethacin. Inclusion complex showed no cytotoxicity and free
nerolidol at a dose of 100 mg/kg (p.o.) in the
arthritis model reduced neutrophil migration in 56% in relation to vehicle, and this inhibition was more expressive in the inclusion complex (67%) at the same dose. Histopathological analysis of the joint tissue confirmed the reduction of inflammatory signs. In the
ethanol-induced
gastric ulcer model, free
nerolidol reduced the relative
ulcer area more expressively (4.64%) than the inclusion complex (21.3%). However, in the
indomethacin induction model, the inclusion complex showed better results in gastric protection compared to free
nerolidol. The action of
nerolidol complexed in
beta-cyclodextrin in reducing
arthritis inflammation combined with its gastroprotective action make it a potential new drug.