Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic, highly prevalent, painful, and disabling degenerative
joint disease. It has imposed a heavy burden on social
healthcare and
patients'
psychology and economy due to its clinical symptoms such as impaired
joint mobility and severe
joint pain and the immature
therapies. Studies have shown that OA is closely associated with
articular cartilage dysfunction, synthesis and degradation disorders of
chondrocyte extracellular matrix (ECM), and
joint inflammation. Moderate
autophagy can restore the function of damaged
chondrocytes, regulate
chondrocyte apoptosis, and promote the synthesis and
metabolism of ECM to alleviate the
inflammation of
joints and delay the onset and progression of OA. According to the clinical symptoms, OA can be classified into the category of impediment in
traditional Chinese medicine. With the theories of holistic
conception,
treatment based on
syndrome differentiation, and individualised
diagnosis and
treatment,
traditional Chinese medicine has demonstrated definite effects in the
treatment of OA in thousands of years of practice. Moreover,
traditional Chinese medicine causes mild adverse reactions, and the
patients have high tolerance and acceptance. This
paper briefly explains the
roles of
autophagy and the related regulatory
proteins, such as Unc-51-like
autophagy-activated
kinase 1 (ULK1),
Beclin-1, and
microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and details the latest
research achievements in the prevention and control of OA by traditional
Chinese medicines and its related markers via the
regulation of
autophagy, so as to provide a idea for the in-depth
research in this field and the clinical application of
traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating OA.