Treating degenerative disease of the articular cartilage - by administering catechin orally, rectally, intra-articularly, intravenously or topically

摘要

Treatment of a degenerative disease of the articular cartilage comprises administering (t)-catechin (trans-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) 3,4-dihydro- 3H-1-benzopyran 3,5,7-triol) (I) pref. (I) is administered at daily doses 1-4g orally or rectally; 5-50 mg intra-articularly or intravenously; or 100 mg-2g topically. (I) inhibits the spontaneous degradation of the proteoglycans from rabbit ear cartilage; increases the in vitro fibrillation of collagen extd. from rat skin; increases, in the presence of beta-aminorpopionitrile (II), the proportion of insoluble collagen produced by fibroblasts and restores a normal ratio between alpha and beta collagen chains but, in the absence of (II), does not quantitatively effect protein or collagen synthesis; inhibits in vitro degradation of collagen fibres by collagenase; and inhibits PGE 2 synthesis (antiflammatory activity). The method is esp. for treating osteoarthritis, chondromalacia and degenerative processes of the articular cartilage caused by other diseases e.g. theumatoid arthritis.