Comparative evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of intra-articular oxaceprol with conventional modalities in osteoarthritis animal model

The duration and dose-dependent side effects of conventional intra-articular corticosteroid treatment in osteoarthritis (OA) like cartilage damage and chondrocyte toxicity warrant the search for alternative therapeutics. Oxaceprol, a recognized oral therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis, is yet to be explored for its intra-articular route of administration confirming better safety profile. In this study, a comparative evaluation of intra-articular oxaceprol and corticosteroid is carried out in osteoarthritis rabbit model. Osteoarthritis was induced by monosodium iodoacetate in rabbits. After randomization into three groups of five animals each: OA with intra-articular injection of saline, OA with intra-articular injection of oxaceprol, and OA with intra-articular injection of corticosteroids, treatment efficacy was analyzed by evaluation of inflammation through knee swelling, pain assessment by wire walking, and hot plate method. Further biopsies were collected for histological characterization. Intra-articular oxaceprol and corticosteroids reduced 20.5 and 24.5% knee swelling respectively within 4 weeks compared to those in control osteoarthritic rabbits. Oxaceprol exhibited analgesic action in visual analogue scoring of wire walking method. Hot plate test further confirmed drastic minimization of pain in oxaceprol intervention. Histological investigation suggested that application of oxaceprol has the abilities to protect articular cartilages from degenerative changes that occur in osteoarthritis. Marked improvement both in bone and cellular matrixes was observed in oxaceprol-treated group while gross lesions were visible and consisted of a well-demarcated area of cartilage erosion in control group. Intra-articular injection of oxaceprol showed remarkable improvement of articular cartilage in chemically induced osteoarthritic rabbits.