Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Biograph
Siriwan Ongchai, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. She received PhD from The University of Manchester, UK (1999). Her research interests mainly focus on investigation the biological activities of medicinal plants and natural products, which their mechanisms counteract inflammatory-associated diseases, especially arthritis. One patent produced from her research works has successfully developed for business. She is currently written a book chapter of the antiarthritic potential of Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn.

Speech Title: Crude extract of red jasmine rice (Oryza sativa Linn.) exerts chondroprotective activities in the cartilage explant model and counteracts apoptotic resistance in SW982 culture

Abstract: Articular cartilage degeneration and resistance towards apoptosis of the arthritis-affected synoviocytes are the clinical hallmarks of chronic inflammatory arthritis, which results from over production of proinflammatory cytokines and cartilage-degrading enzymes. Our study revealed that crude extract of red jasmine rice (Oryza sativa Linn.), CR, decreased cartilage degradation, which was induced by the combination of proinflammatory cytokines, IL-1b and IL17A, in long-term cartilage explant culture model. We also found that CR upregulated genes, which involves synthesis of cartilage matrix molecules, SOX9, ACOL2A1, XT1, and ACAN, in a pellet culture model. Apoptotic resistance of the human synovial sarcoma cell line (SW982) induced by TNF-a and IL17A caused an upregulation of apoptotic markers, cFLIP and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio. These were suppressed by CR leading to a rise in caspase-3 activity concomitantly with an increase in apoptotic cells when compared to the cytokine-treated group. Migration activity induced by cytokines was also abolished by CR. These results suggest the chondroprotective and antiarthritic potential of red rice crude extract which may offer benefits in alternative treatments of either degenerative joint diseases or inflammatory-related arthritis.