The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intra-articular resveratrol injections on cartilage destruction and synovial inflammation in an experimental temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) model.
Freund's complete adjuvant injection method was used to construct the TMJ-OA model. Twenty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly placed into 4 groups: control (n = 4), TMJ arthritis (n = 8), low-dose intra-articular resveratrol (RES[L]; n = 8), and high-dose intra-articular resveratrol (RES[H]; n = 8). Intra-articular injections of resveratrol were performed 3 times at 1-week intervals, 1 week after the administration of a single dose of Freund's complete adjuvant to the TMJ. The effects of resveratrol on cartilage destruction and synovial inflammation were examined histopathologically. The histomorphometric examination revealed condylar cartilage and articular disc thickness. An apoptotic chondrocyte count was performed with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining, and matrix metalloproteinase 13 expression was evaluated through an immunohistochemical examination.
The thickness of the condylar cartilage in the RES(L) and RES(H) groups was statistically significantly greater than that in the control and TMJ arthritis groups (P < .05). The inflammation-induced articular disc thickening was significantly lower in the RES(L) and RES(H) groups (P < .05). The chondrocyte apoptosis in the RES(L) and RES(H) groups was significantly lower than that in the TMJ arthritis group (P < .05). The matrix metalloproteinase 13 expression in the RES(L) and RES(H) groups was obviously less than that in the TMJ arthritis group (P < .05).
The intra-articular resveratrol treatment exerted a curative effect by preventing the inflammation and cartilage destruction associated with TMJ-OA.