Arthritis Res Ther. 2011 Feb 3;13(1):102. doi: 10.1186/ar3222.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) consume 'natural health products' (NHPs) whose therapeutic efficacy, toxicity and mechanisms of action are poorly understood. In a previous issue of Arthritis Research and Therapy, Haqqi and colleagues characterized IL-1-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3) and p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) isoforms in human OA chondrocytes. The cartilageprotective mechanisms of pomegranate extract involve diminishing MKK3-activated p38α, JNK, NF-κB and Runx2 pathways, which regulate inflammatory proteins and cartilage-destroying proteases. Epigallocatechin- 3-gallate, resveratrol, curcumin and other NHP active ingredients suppress multiple inflammatory and catabolic molecular mediators of arthritis. Non-toxicity, reduced severity and incidence of arthritis in animal models warrant testing NHP active ingredients for preventing human OA and RA.
类风湿关节炎（RA）和骨关节炎（OA）患者会使用“天然保健品”（NHPs），但这些保健品的疗效、毒性和作用机制尚未得到充分了解。在《关节炎研究与治疗》杂志的前一期中，Haqqi 及其同事对人 OA 软骨细胞中的白细胞介素-1 激活的丝裂原激活蛋白激酶激酶 3（MKK3）和 p38-丝裂原激活蛋白激酶（MAPK）同工型进行了表征。石榴提取物的软骨保护机制涉及减少 MKK3 激活的 p38α、JNK、NF-κB 和 Runx2 途径，这些途径调节炎症蛋白和破坏软骨的蛋白酶。表没食子儿茶素没食子酸酯、白藜芦醇、姜黄素和其他 NHP 活性成分可抑制关节炎的多种炎症和分解代谢分子介质。动物模型的无毒副作用、关节炎严重程度和发生率降低，使得测试 NHP 活性成分预防人类 OA 和 RA 成为可能。
