Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), found in green tea, can significantly slow down osteoarthritis progression and reduce associated pain in a post-traumatic osteoarthritis mouse model.
C57BL/6 mice were operated to destabilize the medial meniscus mimicking post-traumatic osteoarthritis or were subjected to a sham surgery as a control. From the day of the surgery, the mice were given daily injections of EGCG or a vehicle control for either four or eight weeks. The severity of osteoarthritis was evaluated by staining and scoring techniques, detection of type II collagen and aggrecan, as well as through the measurement of enzyme expression involved in cartilage degradation.
After the surgery, at both four and eight weeks, the cartilage in EGCG-treated mice showcased lesser cartilage erosion and staining loss than the control mice. Furthermore, it also revealed lower osteoarthritis scores and reduced levels of enzymes implicated in cartilage degradation. The EGCG-treated mice exhibited elevated expression of genes that regulate these enzymes. Additionally, EGCG positively affected the cartilage's gene expression level for both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. EGCG treatment also resulted in a reduction of osteoarthritis-associated pain, reflected in higher locomotor behavior and a decrease in the expression of inflammatory cytokines and a chemokine receptor in the dorsal root ganglion.
