MMP2 and arthritic joint disease: M.M. Xu and co-workers reported that SIN (50 mg/kg) plus acupuncture reduced TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and inhibited COX-2, iNOS, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in arthritis rats as well as nuclear factor κB and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) [104].