TNF and arthritic joint disease: To verify whether the herbal constituents, brucine, strychine and triptolide possess an anti-arthritis activity, we examined their effects on the proliferation of FLS and the expression of the inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS. FLS cells were isolated from the joints of CIA mice, and treated with different concentrations of brucine, strychine or triptolide.