Pharmacological correction of the pathogenesis and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee

Abstract

Background. Osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK) causes severe pain and sometimes disability, which reduces the quality of life and work capacity of patients. Today, the prevalence of OAK is increases; therefore, the development of methods for its treatment and the use of means that slow down or stop the progression of OAK are relevant. Since OAK is a slowly progressive disease, the search for effective drugs with minimal toxicity and a long-lasting effect, which prevent the destruction of articular cartilage and improve the working conditions of the patient, is ongoing. Thus, the main goals of OAK treatment are to reduce symptoms and slow the progression of the disease, which can reduce the negative impact of OAK on the patient’s functional capacity, as well as improve quality of life. OAK is characterized by the progressive destruction of the articular cartilage, especially when it bears a load. In the joint, cartilage aggrecan is the main structural component that provides hydrophilicity and allows to withstand compression loads. Aggrecan is a complex of proteoglycans with hyaluronic acid and is characterized by a high content of chondroitin sulfate chains, while proteoglycan consists of protein and glycosaminoglycan chains (the precursor of the latter is glucosamine).