Paeonol prevents IL-1β-induced inflammatory response and degradation of type II collagen in human primary chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease for which a safe and reliable treatment has yet to be developed. Here, we demonstrated the potential benefit of treatment with paeonol, a derivative of Paeonia suffruticosa , in the treatment and prevention of OA. Chondrogenic cell line ATDC5 cells were cultured with IL-1β and the effects of paeonol were assessed through qRT-PCR, western blot analysis, MTT, ELISA, and NF-κB luciferase reporter gene assay. Our findings demonstrate a novel ability of paeonol to inhibit numerous factors of OA, including expressions of IL-6, TNF-α, NOX2, PTGS2, NUCB2/nesfatin-1, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MMP-3/13, degradation of type II collagen, and NF-κB activation through the rescue of IκBα. Additionally, we assessed the effects of paeonol on cell viability to confirm its safety. These findings implicate a valuable potential role of paeonol in the treatment and prevention of OA.