Mende Lokesh Kumar, Kuthati Yaswanth, Wong Chih-Shung
Department of Anesthesiology, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei 280, Taiwan.
National Defense Medical Center, Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei 280, Taiwan.
Nutrients. 2025 Jan 19;17(2):349. doi: 10.3390/nu17020349.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common and debilitating disorder marked by joint degradation, inflammation, and persistent pain. This study examined the possible therapeutic effects of curcumin and vitamin D on OA progression and pain in a rat knee OA model by anterior cruciate ligament transection and meniscectomy (ACLT + MMx). Male Wistar rats were categorized into five groups: control, curcumin-treated (100 mg/kg/day), vitamin D-treated (25 µg/kg/day), a combination of vitamin D and curcumin, and sham-operated. All supplements were administered orally on a daily basis for 12 weeks. Pain behaviors were assessed, serum biomarkers were measured, and knee histology was examined. Both curcumin and vitamin D independently reduced pain, while the combined group exhibited better analgesic effects. Serum inflammatory cytokines demonstrated a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines and an elevation in anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the supplement groups. The antioxidative markers were partially recovered by curcumin and vitamin D supplement. However, the oxidative stress marker Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP) was significantly reduced. Histology analysis revealed a preservation of joint architecture and cartilage integrity and decreased synovium inflammation in the groups treated with curcumin and vitamin D. Our findings indicate a dual mechanism that encompasses the role of anti-inflammation and antioxidation on knee OA progression and pain reduction, underscoring the potential of these natural chemicals as therapeutic agents for knee OA; curcumin and vitamin D supplement may be added in delaying knee OA progression and associated pain management in clinical patient care.
膝骨关节炎（OA）是一种常见且使人衰弱的疾病，其特征为关节退化、炎症和持续性疼痛。本研究通过切断前交叉韧带和半月板切除术（ACLT + MMx），在大鼠膝骨关节炎模型中研究了姜黄素和维生素D对OA进展和疼痛的可能治疗作用。雄性Wistar大鼠分为五组：对照组、姜黄素治疗组（100毫克/千克/天）、维生素D治疗组（25微克/千克/天）、维生素D与姜黄素联合治疗组和假手术组。所有补充剂均每日口服给药，持续12周。评估疼痛行为，测量血清生物标志物，并检查膝关节组织学。姜黄素和维生素D单独使用均可减轻疼痛，而联合治疗组表现出更好的镇痛效果。血清炎症细胞因子显示，补充剂组中促炎细胞因子减少，抗炎细胞因子白细胞介素-10（IL-10）升高。姜黄素和维生素D补充剂部分恢复了抗氧化标志物。然而，氧化应激标志物软骨寡聚基质蛋白（COMP）显著降低。组织学分析显示，姜黄素和维生素D治疗组的关节结构和软骨完整性得以保留，滑膜炎症减轻。我们的研究结果表明，存在一种双重机制，包括抗炎和抗氧化对膝OA进展和疼痛减轻的作用，强调了这些天然化学物质作为膝OA治疗药物的潜力；在临床患者护理中，可添加姜黄素和维生素D补充剂来延缓膝OA进展和进行相关疼痛管理。
