Formulation and Evaluation of Antiosteoarthritic Activity of Copper Nanoparticles Containing Lycium barbarum Leaf Extract

Osteoarthritis is the most common kind of arthritis. The hands, thighs, knees, feet, and lumbar vertebrae are frequently impacted by this illness. Symptoms of this illness include joint discomfort, stiffness, and dryness. Additional symptoms include pain after intense activity or joint soreness in the morning and humid conditions. Although a person may have some joint deterioration, inflammation is often not one of the first symptoms of osteoarthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs comprise the vast bulk of pharmaceuticals used in medicine. Even while these drugs remove the pain from the tissue, they do not deal with the condition's fundamental cause. Recently, copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have been used in the composition of several pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements. In this study, we used CuNPs and an aqueous extract of Lycium barbarum leaves to develop a novel therapeutic drug for osteoarthritis. CuNPs were described using FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM, UV–Vis, XRD, and EDX. The antiosteoarthritic potential was evaluated in vivo using complete Freund adjuvant (CFA), turpentine oil, and formaldehyde models at 80- and 240-μg/kg dosages. The development of CuNPs was illustrated by the distinct peak in the UV–Vis spectrum at 297 nm, and the CuNPs were spherical and ranged in size from 10 to 40 nm in the FE-SEM and TEM pictures. The results showed significant RBC membrane stability and concentration-dependent prevention of albumin denaturation, with the best results occurring at 240 μg/mL. The FT-IR measurement revealed that many antioxidant chemicals with related linkages created ideal conditions for copper reduction in the CuNPs. Similarly, nanoparticles showed a dose-dependent antiosteoarthritic activity, peaking at 240 μg/mL in models of formaldehyde and turpentine oil. Additionally, CuNPs changed hematological parameters, enhanced rheumatoid factor, and improved histological changes. The CFA model data demonstrated improved protection against changes in body weight and osteoarthritic diseases. According to the statistics above, the novel formulation can be used to treat osteoarthritis.