Thymoquinone Ameliorates Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses and Protects against Monosodium Iodoacetate-Induced Osteoarthritis in Rats

Background

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition defined by the destruction of cartilage, resulting in pain, stiffness, and impaired joint function. There is a growing need for safe and effective therapies that can address the underlying causes of osteoarthritis and slow its development.

Objectives

This study assessed the efficacy of thymoquinone in ameliorating experimentally induced osteoarthritis in rats and investigated the mechanisms by which thymoquinone influences osteoarthritis.

Materials and Methods

Osteoarthritis was induced in rats by administering Monosodium Iodoacetate (MIA). The experimental rats received thymoquinone treatment starting one week before to MIA induction and continued for four weeks. The pain response and weight-bearing level of rats were evaluated after completion of treatments. The concentrations of biochemical markers, oxidative stress-related biomarkers, inflammatory cytokines, Prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2), and caspase-3/9 levels were evaluated in the experimental rats. Furthermore, the levels of Nrf2, HO1, Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and NF-κB were assessed using kits.

Results

The findings of this work indicated that thymoquinone administration effectively increased the paw withdrawal latency and threshold, and regulated the biochemical marker levels in the MIA-induced rats. Thymoquinone treatment considerably decreased oxidative stress via increasing antioxidants, reduced inflammatory cytokine levels, PGE-2, and caspase-3/9 levels in MIA-induced rats. Moreover, the thymoquinone effectively increased the Nrf2/HO1 levels, decreased COX-2, and NF-κB levels in the MIA-induced rats.

Conclusion

The present findings evidenced that the thymoquinone mitigated the osteoarthritis-related pathological alterations induced by MIA in rats by modulating inflammation and oxidative stress-related biomarker levels. These data demonstrate that thymoquinone successfully ameliorated MIA-induced osteoarthritis in rats.