**2.1 Markers applied in adjuvant arthritis**

The parameters characterizing efficacy of the substances tested on the immunological, oxidative and inflammatory processes will be reported in this chapter. The spectrum of these parameters is suitable for the description of AA development and provides optimal possibilities for studying pharmacological influence of the substances tested as well as for the elucidation of the mechanisms of their action. In our laboratory, plasma and blood samples were collected regularly from animals in light anesthesia. Tissue samples were collected at the end of the experiment after sacrificing the anesthesised animals. The end of the experiment was mostly day 28 after injection of *Mycobacterium butyricum*. All characteristics monitored could be divided into three groups: clinical, biochemical and immunological parameters. For data interpretation and statistical analysis the data were expressed in terms of arithmetic mean ± S.E.M. In all cases the untreated arthritis group was compared with healthy control animals (\*-symbol), the treated arthritis groups were compared with the untreated arthritis animals (+-symbol). For significance calculations the unpaired Student's t-test (two samples unequal variance) was used with the following significance designations extremely significant (p < 0.001), highly significant (p < 0.01), significant (p < 0.05); not significant (p > 0.05).
