Anti-inflammatory, and Antioxidant Effect of Akebia quinata D. Leaves Aqueous Extract against Osteoarthritis in Mouse Chondrocytes and in Rat Model of Osteoarthritis: in Vitro and in Vivo Studies

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by inflammation of the synovial joints. However, the drugs used to treat OA are insufficient due to multifactorial pathogenesis of the disease. The present study determined the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of Akebia quinata D. aqueous extract (AQDE) against osteoarthritis using in vitro and in vivo models of OA. Initially, the effect of AQDE was identified to determine its effect on the various biomarkers of the TNF-α mouse chondrocytes. The results suggest that AQDE causes significant ACGAN and COL2 and reduction in IL-1B, IL-6, MMP-13 and PTGS2. It also causes induction of the expression of Bcl2, CDK1, CCND, and reduction in the rate of apoptosis of mouse chondrocytes. In the in vivo rat model, AQDE improved mechanical allodynia in the Von Frey test and reduced knee joint swelling. Micro-CT scanning showed improvement in bone erosion. The level of oxidative stress (MDA, SOD, and GSH) and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1B, and IL-6) was restored to near-normal levels in a dose-dependent manner. AQDE reduced the mRNA expression of COX-2 and NF-kb in both in vitro and in vivo study. The results demonstrated the significant pharmacological activity of AQDE against osteoarthritis in both in vitro and in vivo model.

Keywords

• inflammation
• oxidative stress
• chondrocytes
• knee joint swelling
• nf-κb