Effect of resveratrol on cartilage protection and apoptosis inhibition in experimental osteoarthritis of rabbit.

To observe the effect of resveratol on cartilage, chondrocyte apoptosis, and nitric oxide in experimental osteoarthritis (OA) of rabbit and to study the mechanism of resveratol in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Thirty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups: group A (normal control group), group B (model control group), group C (resveratrol intervention high-dosage group), group D (resveratrol intervention middle dosage group), and group E (resveratrol intervention low-dosage group). The model of OA of the knee was established using Hulth technique in groups B, C, D, and E. After 4 weeks, group A and group B rabbits were administered daily a knees injection of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), whereas groups C, D, and E were administered daily a knees injection of resveratrol in DMSO in different dosages for 2 weeks. Daily dosage for rabbits of groups C, D, and E was fixed at 50, 20, and 10 μmol/kg, respectively. Then, the rabbits were killed, and the lateral cartilage sections of right femoral medial condyle were evaluated using a histological scoring system (H&E and safranin-O staining) and analyzed by TUNEL for apoptosis. Nitric oxide (NO) in synovial fluid was measured by nitrate reduction method. Histological evaluation of cartilage tissue revealed a significantly reduced cartilage destruction; the evaluation also revealed the loss of matrix proteoglycan content in cartilage in resveratrol intervention groups compared to the model control. Resveratrol reduced the apoptosis rate of chondrocyte and level of NO in the synovial fluid. In the above experiments of OA rabbits, the protective effects of resveratrol were enhanced with increased resveratrol dosage. Resveratrol controls the progression of experimental OA. One of the mechanism(s) responsible for this effect would include lowering of the apoptosis rate of chondrocyte and reducing the production of NO in experimental OA.