Figure 9.

Anti-inflammatory effect of SM on the carrageenan-induced peritonitis model. ICR mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered with SM in 10% Tween-80 (vehicle) at a dose of 50 mg/kg 1 h prior to peritonitis induction by 1% carrageenan followed by the counting of leukocytes in peritoneal fluid 4 h after carrageenan injection. Dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg) was used as a reference drug. (A) The distribution of leukocyte subpopulations was evaluated by light microscopy after azur-eosin staining by the Romanovsky–Giemsa method. Red arrows show neutrophils, green arrows show lymphocytes, and yellow arrows show monocytes. Magnification ×400. (B) Total (left panel) and differential (right panel) leukocyte counts in peritoneal exudates. (C) Pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 were measured by ELISA 4 h after peritonitis induction. Differences between groups were statistically significant at * p < 0.05 and ** p < 0.005.