Comparative Chondroprotective Effects of Curcumin, Resveratrol,and Eggshell Membrane in a Surgically Induced Rat Osteoarthritis Model

Abstract

Natural compounds such as curcumin (C), resveratrol (R), and eggshell membrane (EM) have demonstrated anti- inflammatory and chondroprotective properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these compounds, administered either individually or in combination, on cartilage and synovial tissues in a surgically induced rat osteoarthritis (OA) model. Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to eight groups (n = 6 per group). OA was induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) in the right knee. After a 4-week postoperative period, C, R, EM, their pairwise combinations (CR, REM, CEM), and the triple combination (CREM) were administered daily via oral gavage for 4 weeks. A sham-operated group served as the healthy control. Histological evaluation was performed using H&E and Safranin O/Fast Green staining. OA severity was assessed using the OARSI scoring system and semiquantitative synovial parameters. All treatment groups demonstrated varying degrees of histopathological preservation within the experimental OA model. Among single-agent treatments, resveratrol demonstrated the most consistent protective profile. The triple combination group demonstrated favorable histopathological findings, including reduced cartilage degeneration and minimal synovial inflammatory changes. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the triple combination and key monotherapy groups. The relatively small sample size may have limited the statistical power to detecting subtle intergroup differences. Resveratrol and eggshell membrane demonstrated consistent chondroprotective effects. The combination therapy was associated with favorable histological outcomes, suggesting possible additive rather than truly synergistic effects. Further studies incorporating molecular, biochemical, and functional analyses are warranted to confirm these findings.