A recent report in the Journal of Inflammation Research found that curcumin modulates chondrocyte oxidative stress, inhibits OA inflammation, and inhibits phosphorylation of the p38/MAPK pathway; the model used Sprague-Dawley rats. It also inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis and matrix degradation while promoting cartilage repair through multiple pathways and targets, as validated by network pharmacology, molecular docking techniques, and experimental studies. The authors, from various institutions in China, noted that the clinical application of curcumin is limited by its low bioavailability, primarily due to poor solubility, stability, and biobarrier permeability, and encouraged future studies that focus on improving the drug’s properties, including such strategies as nanotechnology, liposome encapsulation, or combination with other drugs that could enhance its bioavailability.
Source: Wang X, Yu H, Zhang Y, et al. Curcumin Alleviates Osteoarthritis Through the p38MAPK Pathway: Network Pharmacological Prediction and Experimental Confirmation. J Inflamm Res. 2024;17:5039-5056. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S459867.
