The effect of glycosaminoglycan polysulfuric acid ester on articular cartilage in experimental osteoarthritis: effects on morphological variables of disease severity.

The effects of the semisynthetic glycosaminoglycan polysulfuric acid ester on the development of osteoarthritis (OA) in a meniscectomy model in rabbits were investigated. Prophylactic treatment by both an intramuscular and intraarticular regimen for 11 weeks after meniscectomy caused amelioration or total prevention of erosions evaluated by gross and histologic variables. Treatment for 4 to 8 weeks of erosions (already developed in animals 12 weeks after operation) also caused amelioration of erosions. Controls included animals with OA treated with saline injection. Knees from age matched normal controls for each of the experimental groups were studied in the same manner. It is concluded that glycosaminoglycan polysulfuric acid ester retarded development of erosions and influenced favorably the histological severity of lesions already formed in this experimental model of OA.