%A Luo Anyu, Liu Hanlin, Xie Xiaofei, Huang Chen %T Effect of antioxidant mixture on structural degeneration of an osteoarthritis rat model %0 Journal Article %D 2021 %J Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research %R 10.12307/2021.030 %P 3625-3629 %V 25 %N 23 %U {https://www.cjter.com/CN/abstract/article_16669.shtml} %8 2021-08-18 %X BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathological process of osteoarthritis, leading to local inflammation and matrix degradation. Previous studies have shown that antioxidants such as quercetin and vitamin C are potential candidates for treating osteoarthritis. 
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether quercetin, vitamin C and desferrioxamine mesylate mixture can delay disease progression in rats with post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
METHODS: The anterior cruciate ligament was cut off in 10 Sprague-Dawley rats to induce osteoarthritis. Animal models were randomized into two groups (n=5 per group). Twenty weeks after operation, 50 μL of normal saline or antioxidant mixture was slowly injected into the affected joint, once a week for 4 successive weeks. The antioxidant mixture consisted of 1 g/L dihydroxyquercetin, 30 g/L vitamin C and 200 mg/L desferrioxamine mesylate. Gait analysis was performed before treatment, 1 week and 5 weeks after treatment. Micro-CT examination and histology scoring were performed 5 weeks after treatment. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Gait analysis showed that intra-articular injection of antioxidant mixture did not improve pain-related limb laziness index (P=0.449). However, 5 weeks after treatment, the limb laziness index in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P=0.047). Five weeks after treatment, microcomputed tomography analysis showed that there was no significant difference in any parameters between the treatment group and the control group (P > 0.05). There were severe histopathological changes of osteoarthritis in both groups. The Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores showed no significant difference in both groups (P=0.382). In conclusion, intra-articular injection of antioxidant mixture containing quercetin, vitamin C and desferrioxamine does not delay the progress of osteoarthritis in patients with advanced osteoarthritis. Future studies should aim to determine whether administration of antioxidants and prolonged drug retention time in early osteoarthritis can effectively delay the progress of osteoarthritis.