Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease. Traditional chinese medicine provides a resource for drug screening for OA treatment. Ginseng and the associated bioactive compound, ginsenosides, may reduce inflammation, which is considered a risk factor for the development of OA. Specifically, ginsenosides may exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress activities, and inhibit extracellular matrix degradation by suppressing the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Notably, specific ginsenosides, such as compound K and Rk1, may physically interact with IκB kinase and inhibit the associated phosphorylation. Thus, ginsenosides exhibit potential as therapeutic candidates in the management of OA. However, the low water solubility limits the clinical applications of ginsenosides. Numerous effective strategies have been explored to improve bioavailability; however, further investigations are still required.
Contents1. Introduction 2. Protective effects of ginseng and ginsenosides against OA development 3. Anti-inflammatory properties of ginsenosides 4. Anti-oxidative activity of ginsenosides 5. Inhibitory activity of ginsenosides against ECM degradation 6. Pharmacokinetic properties of ginsenosides 7. Clinical perspectives 8. Conclusions