Evaluation of Prophylactic Diacerein Treatment on Anti-Arthritic Activity in Freund’s Complete Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis in Rat Model

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is commonly prevalent disorder seen in Indian population. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) are used as primary drugs for its symptomatic treatment. However, its use is limited by its long-term adverse effects. Many clinical studies have shown that diacerein reduces clinical symptoms of OA. Aim: To evaluate whether diacerein has beneficial anti-arthritic property when used prophylactically in Freund’s Complete Adjuvant (FCA) induced arthritis in rats. Materials and Methods: An experimental study was conducted over a period of about two months in the Department of Pharmacology, SCBMC, Cuttack. Thirty albino rats of Wistar strain was divided into 5 groups with 6 animals in each group. The basal body weight and the hind paw volumes of both right and left paw of all the animals was noted in day 0 and then on 4th, 8th, 14th and 21st day. Arthritis was induced in all animals by injecting FCA on day 0 into the plantar surface of right hind paw. Normal saline, diclofenac 5 mg/kg, three doses of diacerein (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg), was administered orally once daily to groups I, II, III, IV and V respectively. Paw volumes and body weight was measured for arthritic parameters. On day 22 radiological and histopathologic evaluation was done. Results: Maximum inhibition of Freund’s adjuvant induced arthritic paw volume was on the 21st day with 100 mg/kg of diacerein and with diclofenac 5 mg/kg was from 8th to 14th day. There was a decrease in body weight due to freund’s adjuvant in normal saline group from 4th to 21st day, still greater decline with diclofenac 5 mg/kg group, but in diacerein treated group there was an increase in body weight from 4th to 21st day in all the three doses. Radiologically and histopathology maximum benefit was noted with 100 mg/kg of diacerein. Conclusion: Three weeks treatment of oral diacerein can significantly inhibit arthritic swelling of the injected paw at all the 3 doses in adjuvant induced arthritis model in rats and can be a promising disease modifying drug for OA.