Discussion on Research Study: Glucosamine Ameliorates Steroid Effects on Joint
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Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: dro
Post Number: 22103
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Tuesday, Jan 13, 2009 - 8:48 am: |   |
In spite of experimental evidence that methylprednisolone acetate, "Depo", has more adverse effects on the joint than other steroids, veterinarians continue to use Depo because of the superior clinical response they get with it. Many veterinarians do inject hyaluronate along with the steroid in an effort to ease the adverse effects. In this study glucosamine was found to prevent these advers effects.
DrO
Am J Vet Res. 2008 Sep;69(9):1123-8.
Effects of methylprednisolone acetate and glucosamine on proteoglycan production by equine chondrocytes in vitro.
Byron CR, Benson BM, Stewart AA, Pondenis HC.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) on proteoglycan production by equine chondrocytes and to investigate whether glucosamine hydrochloride modulates these effects at clinically relevant concentrations. SAMPLE POPULATION: Articular cartilage with normal gross appearance from metacarpophalangeal and metatarsophalangeal joints of 8 horses (1 to 10 years of age). PROCEDURES: In vitro chondrocyte pellets were pretreated with glucosamine (0, 1, 10, and 100 microg/mL) for 48 hours and exposed to MPA (0, 0.05, and 0.5 mg/mL) for 24 hours. Pellets and media were assayed for proteoglycan production (Alcian blue precipitation) and proteoglycan content (dimethylmethylene blue assay), and pellets were assayed for DNA content. RESULTS: Methylprednisolone decreased production of proteoglycan by equine chondrocytes at both concentrations studied. Glucosamine protected proteoglycan production at all 3 concentrations studied. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Methylprednisolone, under noninflammatory conditions present in this study, decreased production of proteoglycan by equine chondrocytes. Glucosamine had a protective effect against inhibition of proteoglycan production at all 3 concentrations studied. This suggested that glucosamine may be useful as an adjunct treatment when an intra-articular injection of a corticosteroid is indicated and that it may be efficacious at concentrations relevant to clinical use.
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