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Medical Evidence

Glucosamine Sulfate Significantly Reduced Cartilage Destruction In A Rabbit Model Of Osteoarthritis T. Conrozier, P. Mathieu, M. Piperno, S. Richard, M. Annefeld, M. Richard, E. Vignon Claude Bernard University, 2B, CHLS, 69310 Pierre Benite, France

Objective: Gluscosamine Sulfate (GS) is an effective symptomatic treatment of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) but the structure modifying effect of the drug is unknown.

Methods: OA was induced in both right and left knees of New Zealand White male rabbits by transection of the anterior cruciate ligament. GS (120 mg/kg daily) was added to the drinking water of 6 animals immediately after surgery and 6 animals were used as controls. All animals were sacrified 8 weeks after surgery. Cartilage lesions were evaluated in blind by the same observer by using both (1) a 8 grades macroscopic score (1 = softening, 2 = localized superficial fibrillation, 3 = large superficial fibrillation, 4 = small erosion, 5 = large erosion, 6 = small bone exposure, 7 = large bone exposure) and (2) an overall assessment of chondropathy using a 100 mm VAS according to the method of Ayral et al. (J Rheumatol 1996, 23, 698-706).

Results: Both scores were well correlated (R2 = 64%, p < 0.001). The mean gross score of the treated (12 knees) and control (11 knees) animals was 13.2 + 4 and 18.7 + 5.5 (p = .04) respectively. The mean overall assessment was 21.7 + 14.8 and 47.8 + 11.5 (p < 0.004) respectively. Intra and interobserver reproducibility of the VAS overall assessment was evaluated by using photographs of the femorotibial articular surfaces and was found satisfactorily (R2 = 82 and 66.5%, respectively). The simple overall assessment of chondropathy used by arthroscopists is suggested as a reliable and sensitive method in such an animal study. GS was demonstrated as a structure modifying drug in this prophylactic study.

Source: American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting November 10, 1998; Abstract: 689, Poster Session C: Osteoarthritis: Methodology and Animal Models


 
 

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