Harnessing the therapeutic potential of selected natural products in combating osteoarthritis using experimental model – A review

Osteoarthritis is a chronic, degenerative joint disease condition that mainly affects weight-bearing joints of the body. The pathogenesis of osteoarthritis is characterized with synovial inflammation, progressive degradation of articular cartilage, subchondral bone changes, and joint dysfunction. There remains the persistent need for the development of effective therapeutic intervention that would offer improved outcomes compared to the existing therapeutic options. This review explores the current measure to harness the therapeutic potential of natural products, including berberine, apigenin, chrysin, baicalein and curcumin, in combating osteoarthritis, with a focus on the mechanisms of their anti-osteoarthritis effects. A review of relevant literature was conducted across scientific databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, examining studies on the anti-osteoarthritis effects of selected natural products. All the natural products under review exhibited anti-osteoarthritis based on their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities which were achieved through their modulatory effect on oxidative stress, inflammatory, apoptotic mediators that drives the onset and progression of osteoarthritis. The anti-osteoarthritis properties of the natural products were achieved through modulation of signaling factors or pathways including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MMP-13, Caspase-3, HMGB-1, ADAMTS, MAPK, TlR4/NF-kB, hedgehog, Wnt/β-cathenin, IL-1 β, ERK1/2, Wnt/β-cathenin, AMPK/PINK1/Parkin, PERK/TXNIP/NLRP3, RAGE/PI3k/AKT.