Anti-malarial agent artesunate inhibits TNF-α-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines via inhibition of NF-κB and PI3 kinase/Akt signal pathway in human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Objectives. Recent studies indicate that the anti-malarial agent artemisinin and its derivatives may exert an anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, we explored the effect of artesunate, an artemisinin derivative, on tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced production of interleukins, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8, in human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), and further investigated the signal mechanism by which this compound modulates those cytokines' production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]