New Animal Study Shows Curcumin Slows Osteoarthritis Progression

A recently published research study in animals showed that Curcumin, a known joint protective substance, could inhibit worsening of joint breakdown. Curcumin has shown to be an effective treatment to reduce osteoarthritic pain. However, the exact molecular mechanism remained elusive. In this study, researchers caused joint cartilage damage. The results showed that much higher expression of molecules related to inflammatory response was detected using immunohistological staining techniques in the degenerating joint. In a group of mice that receive curcumin injection, surprisingly, the expression of inflammatory molecules decreased significantly. This study shows the promising future in osteoarthritis research. As researchers keep untangling the genetic, biochemical, and immunological pathways underlying joint degeneration, many more therapeutics are waiting to be discovered.