Evaluation of the concomitant use of methotrexate and curcumin on Freund's complete adjuvant-induced arthritis and hematological indices in rats.

Objective: To evaluate the concomitant administration of methotrexate and curcumin for antiarthiritic activity in rats.

Materials And Methods: Arthritis was induced in rats following a single subplantar injection of Freund's complete adjuvant (0.1 ml).

Synergistic activity of curcumin with methotrexate in ameliorating Freund's Complete Adjuvant induced arthritis with reduced hepatotoxicity in experimental animals.

Methotrexate is employed in low doses for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. One of the major drawbacks with methotrexate is hepatotoxicity resulting in poor compliance of therapy. Curcumin is an extensively used spice possessing both anti-arthritic and hepatoprotective potential.