Prolonged effect of iodoacetate on articular cartilage and its modification by an anti-rheumatic drug.

The intra-articular injection of iodoacetate into the knee joint of rats produced changes in the articular cartilage which resembled those of osteoarthritis. It caused virtually total loss of many of the oxidative enzymes, indicating inhibition of the main oxidative pathways. Treatment with an anti-rheumatic drug had little early effect but ultimately led to partial restoration of these pathways. The reduced progression of cartilage degradation induced by this drug was accompanied by some unusual histological features.