Protective effects of colchicine against osteoarthritis in rat induced by monosodium iodoacetate

Abstract Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating condition that can severely limit an individual’s mobility and quality of life. This study evaluated the efficacy of colchicine therapy in promoting cartilage healing in a rat model with monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced knee OA. This was assessed through semiquantitative radiographic features as well as histological and biochemical alterations. Methods Rats were given an intra-articular injection of MIA on day zero to induce knee OA. After that, 40 Wistar albino female rats were split into 4 groups at random (10 rats/each group): a negative control group, an osteoarthritic control group, an osteoarthritic reference group receiving a meloxicam®, and an osteoarthritic group receiving an intraperitoneal injection of colchicine. The body weight and knee diameter were recorded once per week. Semiquantitative radiographic imaging and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELIZA) analysis of serum inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-β) and anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-10 (IL-10), were carried out before the end of the trial. Finally, hematoxylin/and eosin stains were used for histological investigation. Results Colchicine significantly reduced the osteoarthritic conditions after six weeks of supplementation. We observed decreased joint diameters in response to treatment in OA animals. Colchicine significantly decreased IL-1β (p = 0.000) and increased the IL-10 (p = 0.000) in the serum of osteoarthritic rats in response to treatment in OA rats compared to the OA group with no treatment. Colchicine improved the histological structure of the knee joint and lowered the radiographic scores of osteoarthritic rats. Conclusion These results point to the potential benefit of colchicine in treating rats with MIA-induced knee OA by postponing cartilage deterioration and reducing the activity of inflammatory mediators.