Echinatin inhibits osteoarthritis through the NF-κB signaling pathway

Osteoarthritis (OA) is currently the most common degenerative joint disease in China and even worldwide and is the leading cause of disability in the elderly population. So far, due to an insufficient understanding of the pathogenesis and etiology of the disease, there is still no effective targeted treatment for early OA. Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 is an important inflammatory mediator secreted in early OA, and IL-1β plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of OA, affecting chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix of CARTILAGE. Echinatin has been used for years as a health supplement, retaining its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and autophagy-promoting effects. However, whether echinatin has inhibitory effects on OA is still unknown. In this study, we used an in vitro OA model of chondrocytes induced by IL-1β and an in vivo OA model of rats induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT), and through experiments such as western blotting and IHC, we demonstrated that echinatin can be used as a novel drug for treating OA. Mechanistically, we found that echinatin inhibits the activity of chondrocytes induced by IL-1β through the NF-kB signaling pathway. This study can provide more effective treatment options for OA patients and further diagnostic and therapeutic methods for clinical treatment.