An Assessment of the Chondroprotective Effects of Intra-Articular Application of Statin and Tetracycline on Early-Stage Experimental Osteoarthritis

Objectives . To compare the effects of intra-articular application of statin and tetracyclines on cartilage and synovial tissue on experimental osteoarthritis. Methods . Osteoarthritis was created in 30 rabbits of 3 groups. The control group received saline intra-articularly, statin group, atorvastatin and the tetracycline group, doxycycline once a week for 3 weeks. Chondral and synovial tissues were evaluated macroscopically and histopathologically. Results . Macroscopic evaluation determined mean values of control group 3.0, statin group 0.56, and tetracycline group 2.5. Histopathological evaluations determined mean values; femoral medial condyle cartilage tissue, control group, 14.60 ± 1.00, statin group 2.20 ± 1.30, tetracycline group 12.7 ± 5.39: tibia medial plateau, control group, 14.33 ± 8.68, statin group 2.89 ± 1.96, tetracycline group, 15.90 ± 7.03: synovial tissue, control group 12.22 ± 3.63, statin group 4.33 ± 2.69, tetracycline group 10.70 ± 2.62. Average values of synovial tissue cell layer thickness were control group 14.46 ± 2.35  μ m, statin group 10.56 ± 1.01  μ m, tetracycline group 12.80 ± 0.79  μ m. All measurements showed statistically significant differences between statin and control groups ( P < 0.05) but not between tetracycline and control groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusions . Tetracycline has little effect due to chemical modification requirement, and the effect is dose dependent. Statins have chondroprotective effects, so may become a novel therapeutic agent in osteoarthritis management after chemical processing.