Baekjeolyusin-tang and its active component berberine block the release of collagen and proteoglycan from IL-1β-stimulated rabbit cartilage and down-regulate matrix metalloproteinases in rabbit chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major degenerative disease affecting millions of individuals. The ability of articular cartilage to self-repair is limited due to a low tissue turnover rate and the avascular nature of the cartilage, making OA an irreversible disease. In Korea, however, many traditional Korean medical doctors have treated joint disease with a prescription of traditional Korean medicine, BaekJeolYuSin-tang (BYT). Thus, the chondroprotective effects of BYT and its active component, berberine (Ber) were investigated in an experimental model. Here it is shown that BYT or Ber significantly inhibited the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-5 as well as increasing the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1, aggrecan and collagen in rabbit articular chondrocytes (p < 0.05). BYT or Ber significantly inhibited the secretion and activity of MMP-3 (p < 0.05). In addition, BYT or Ber significantly inhibited the release of collagen and glycosaminoglycan into the culture media from rabbit articular cartilage explants (p < 0.05). The data suggest that BYT or Ber has a therapeutic potential for the treatment of cartilage damage in osteoarthritis.