ABSTRACT
The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of anti-osteoarthritis effects on egg white-chalcanthite (EC), purple bamboo salts (PBS), and a mixture of EC and PBS (EC+PBS). EC is a mixture of egg white and pulverized chalcanthite. PBS has been widely used as one of functional foods in Korea and shows unique features compared with common salt. Osteoarthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA, 4mg/kg bw) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Test substances were administered once daily for 6 weeks at doses of 10 mg EC, EC+100 mg PBS, EC+200 mg PBS before and after MIA injection. Each substance was assessed by blood chemistry parameters, and by serum cytokines including IL-1β and IL-6, and nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2). Structural changes of articular cartilage were also evaluated by histopathological examination. As a result, body weight and blood chemistry parameter were not different in all experimental groups. EC+PBS mixture reduced the production of PGE2, NO, IL-1β, and IL-6. In histological grade of osteoarthritis, EC+PBS mixture had a tendency to ameliorate damage of articular cartilage induced by MIA in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, EC+PBS mixture was demonstrated to have a potential for anti-inflammatory effect against osteoarthritis induced by MIA in a dose-dependent manner.