摘要Objective To investigate the effects of oral administration of type Ⅱ collagen (CⅡ) on a djuvant arthritis (AA) in rats and its mechanisms, and to compare the effects of CⅡ with those of the Chinese traditional medicine Tripterygium Polyglycoside a dministered similarly.Methods Arthritis was induced in rats by immunization using Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). After feeding rats either soluble CⅡ or Tripterygium Polyglycoside, chan ges in degree of articular swelling and articular histological findings were observed in AA rats. Some correlative immunological indexes were measured, includi ng delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, anti-collagen and anti-Mycoba cterium tuberculosis (MT) antibody in serum, and levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α i n articular steep in rats.Results Oral administration of CⅡ was able to alleviate both distinctly articular and general symptoms in AA rats, suppress synovium hyperplasia and inflammatory cells infiltration in arthrosis capsule. The effects brought about by CⅡ were stronger than those by Tripterygium Polyglycoside. Oral administration of CⅡ inhibi ted antigen-specific immune response, such as DTH and antibody reaction to CⅡ . In addition, the expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α in joints were locally dow nregulated. Conclusions The therapeutic effect of oral administration of CⅡ is obvious on adjuvant art hritis in rats. Its remedial mechanisms are likely related to the downregulation of both IFN-γ and TNF-α, and the suppression of cell immunity.