Anti-Osteoarthritic Effects of Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract (AyuFlex®) in Interleukin-1β-Induced Human Chondrocytes and in Rat Models of Monosodium Iodoacetate (MIA)-Induced Osteoarthritis

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a general joint illness caused by the destruction of joint cartilage, and is common in the population of old people. Its occurrence is related to inflammatory reactions and cartilage degradation. AyuFlex® is an aqueous extract of Terminalia chebula fruit, and T. chebula has been utilized extensively in several traditional oriental medications for the management of diverse diseases. Pre-clinical and clinical research has shown its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effectiveness. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying the anti-arthritic effects of AyuFlex® remains unclear. In the current research, we proposed the ameliorating effects of AyuFlex® with respect to the incidence of OA and described the latent signalization in interleukin (IL)-1β-treated chondrocytes and MIA-incurred OA in a rat model. In vitro, AyuFlex® decreased oxidative stress and induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators as well as matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), while also increasing the levels of collagen synthesis-related proteins. Mechanistically, we identified that AyuFlex® disrupted nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation via the inhibition of NF-κB p65 and extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. The ameliorating effects of AyuFlex® were also observed in vivo. AyuFlex® significantly inhibited the MIA-incurred increase in OA symptoms such as oxidative stress, cartilage damage, and changes in cytokines and MMPs revelation in arthrodial cartilage. Therefore, our results suggest that AyuFlex® attenuates OA progression in vivo, indicating that AyuFlex® can be suggested as an excellent therapeutic remedy for the care of OA.

Therapeutic Effect of Enzymatically Hydrolyzed Cervi Cornu Collagen NP-2007 and Potential for Application in Osteoarthritis Treatment

“…Several researchers have used this model and performed mechanistic studies to approve functional health materials. For example, AyuFlex ® , an extract from Terminalia chebula Retzins, is effective in the treatment of MIA-induced OA through significant inhibition of OA symptoms such as oxidative stress, cartilage damage, and changes in cytokine and MMP regulation in arthrodial cartilage [33]. Additionally, Andrographis paniculate extracts were approved for the treatment of joint health in an MIA-induced OA model by decreasing the levels of inflammatory cytokines, namely, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and the joint tissue degradation enzyme, MMP [34].…”

Plant-Based Bioactive Natural Products: Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Action

“…Fruits of Terminalia chebula are used as crude drugs in many traditional medicine systems around the world due to potent antioxidant, hepatoprotective and anti-diabetic activities [14]. Kim et al [15] reported the anti-osteoarthritic activity of aqueous extracts of Terminalia chebula fruit in interleukin-1β-induced human chondrocytes and monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis in model rats.…”