Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

Aim of The work : In a study in the United States, ten patients with RA suffer chronic fatigue syndrome to which they were treated with galantamine. Surprisingly, galantamine improved also their symptoms of RA, where they experienced less swollen and painful joints. Up till now, this AChEI is being used in AD patients to directly enhance the acetylcholine-mediated neuronal transmission, however, increasing evidences in the past few years pointed also to a possible anti- inflammatory role of these agents in AD treatment. Depending on these coincidences, the aim of part I of this study was set to evaluate the anti- inflammatory effect of galantamine, and to compare its efficacy with the conventional anti-rheumatic drug leflunomide, in the treatment of experimental rheumatoid arthritis. Signs of inflammation and disease progression were followed up during the experimental period. Pro-inflammatory (TNF-Ü) /anti- inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines, a chemokine (MCP-1), as well as a specific serological marker for RA (anti-CCP) were evaluated in the serum of experimental animals. Moreover, radiological pictures were taken, as being a standard method for RA evaluation and therapeutic monitoring

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