Introduction. Osteoarthritis (OA) in modern medicine has increasingly growing significance as a social problem. The main pathogenetic mechanism of OA is the metabolic disorder of the basic substance of the articular cartilage that leads to degenerative changes and proteoglycan failure. Proteoglycans play an important role in maintaining water and electrolyte balance, adsorptive and reparative functions of articular cartilage.
The aim of this study was the experimental study of destructive-dystrophic changes in rats joints with systemic steroid-induced osteoarthritis under the influence of the experimental therapy with the composition containing the combination of doxycycline hydrochloride and glucosamine hydrochloride (D + GA) in comparison with the reference objects.
Materials and methods. The study was conducted on the model of corticosteroid degeneration in rats, which was reproduced by the intramuscular triple administration of dexamethasone phosphate at the dose of 7 mg/kg at intervals of one week with the elements of modifications which consisted in the increasing the corticosteroids dose.
Results and discussion. Under the influence of the use of the objects, according to a biochemical studies, there was a positive trend of reduction of indicators marker of inflammation and joint destruction.
Conclusions. 1. Composition containing doxycycline hydrochloride and glucosamine hydrochloride at the dose of 44.86 mg/kg reduces the inflammatory and destructive changes in the animals joints, which was confirmed by biochemical studies on the model of dexamethasone osteoarthritis in rats.
2. Pharmacodynamic potential of the composition is realised by inhibiting the cascade of inflammatory reactions, due mostly doxycycline and increasing the protective properties of chondrocytes to the influence of aggression factors, decreasing the proteoglycan matrix failure.
3. The composition should be regarded as a promising object for the further preclinical studies as anti-inflammatory and chondroprotective remedy.