International Travel Medicine Center of Iran International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health 2322-1100 14 1 2026 03 01 Sumac Extract Mitigates Rheumatoid Arthritis in Rats via Redox Modulation, Hematological Rebalancing, and T-cell Transcriptional Control 40 48 237439 10.30491/ijtmgh.2025.551698.1507 EN Arash Emami Namin Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. Seyyed Meysam Abtahi Froushani Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. 0000-0003-2579-6618 Nowruz Delirezh Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran. Rahim Hobbenaghi Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran Journal Article 2025 10 06 Objective:Brown sumac extract may reduce rheumatoid arthritis (RA) inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This study tested freeze-dried sumac extract in a RA model.<br>Materials and methods: Sumac extract's effects were evaluated in healthy and RA induced Wistar rats. Healthy rats received 0, 100, 200, or 400 mg/kg of the extract orally for one month. RA was induced by injecting Freund's adjuvant, followed by the same extract doses from day 7 to 25 post-induction, after the arthritis index exceeded one. <br>Results:The extract contained 179.45 ± 3.12 mg/g total phenolics (gallic acid equivalents) and a FRAP antioxidant activity of 101.9 ± 0.98 mmol Trolox equivalents/100 g. HPLC results determined the gallic acid content of the extract to be 58.38 mg/ml.In healthy rats, the extract increased serum TAC dose-dependently, without affecting RBC, WBC, Hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels . In RA rats, disease progression was reduced with treatment, especially at 200 and 400 mg/kg, with the latter showing the lowest arthritis index. Extract at 200/400 mg/kg improved anemia, normalizing WBC and elevating RBC, Hb, and Hct. TAC levels were restored dose-dependently. The serum levels of C-reactive protein, nitric oxide, and myeloperoxidase decreased with increasing extract dosage, particularly at 200/400 mg/kg. Sumac extract led to a reduction in the mRNA ratios of RORγt/T-bet, RORγt/GATA-3, RORγt/FoxP3, T-bet/GATA-3, and T-bet/FoxP3, while concurrently increasing the ratio of GATA-3/FoxP3 in the joints of RA rats.<br>Conclusion: Sumac extract may mitigate inflammatory effects and aid in managing RA. https://www.ijtmgh.com/article_237439_3c1bbc8d4f9b5291646157b05dca8c28.pdf