Honey improves radiographic features of monosodium iodoacetate-induced stifle (knee) joint osteoarthritis in a rat model

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of joint disease with over half of all people older than 65 years demonstrating radiographic changes of  osteoarthritis in the knees. Honey is known to contain bioactive compounds that exert chondroprotective effects by counteracting the homeostatic  dysregulation of the joint. However, its effect on the radiographic features of osteoarthritis has not been proven. This study was carried out to evaluate  the effect of honey on radiographic features of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)- induced knee osteoarthritis in female Wistar rats. Thirty female Wistar  rats were randomly divided into five groups of six animals each. Animals in group one were healthy (control) rats, while animals in groups two to five  were subjected to experimental osteoarthritis of the right knee joint induced by a single intra-articular injection of 1mg of MIA. The animals in groups  two, three, four, and five were treated with normal saline (1ml/kg b. w.), arthocare (glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate 6.67/8.33mg/kg b. w.), low dose  honey (250mg/kg b. w.) and high dose honey (1,000mg/kg b. w.) respectively. All treatments were administered orally once daily using an oral cannula for  twenty-one days. All animals were subjected to radiographic assessment of the right knee joint before and after induction of OA, and after treatment.  High and low-dose honey reversed the loss of joint space; sclerosis of the tibial plateau, medial, and lateral femoral condyles, when compared to the  arthocare-treated and untreated groups. In conclusion, honey improved radiographic features of knee osteoarthritis in a rat model induced by  monosodium iodoacetate.