Inhibition of adjuvant arthritis by intraperitoneal administration of low doses of silica.

Daily intraperitoneal administration from day 3 to day 10 post-adjuvant of crystalline silica in doses 1.5-3.1 mg/kg per day or of amorphous silica in doses of 12.5 mg/kg per day inhibited the development of adjuvant arthritis mostly suppressing the swelling of the non-injected paw. These doses of silica did not impair the carbon clearance. Higher doses of silica (25 mg/kg per day of the crystalline form and 50 mg/kg of the amorphous form) administered from day 17 to day 24 post-adjuvant had no effect on the already established disease.