The effect of low level laser therapy, topical antiinflammatory drug and exercise in the treatment of papain-induced knee osteoarthritis in rats

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that commonly affects humans and is characterized as a degenerative process that covers the joints. OA affects the articular cartilage, subchondral bone, ligaments, joint capsule, synovial membrane and periarticular muscles. The treatment for this disorder is based on pharmacological therapy, surgical and non-pharmacological, alone or in combination, to maximize the beneficial effects and minimize side effects. This research project aims to evaluate and compare the effects of pharmacological therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for topical use, the effects of physical activity and finally to the low power laser therapy (LBP) in an experimental model osteoarthritis. The OA will be induced by an intra-articular injection of papain in the right knee of male Wistar rats. After 21 days the animals will be treated with topical NSAID and / or physical activity (swimming) and / or LBP. Treatments will be performed 03 times per week for 03 weeks, a total of nine sessions for swimming and for LBP. The application of topical diclofenac is also carried out, 03 times a week. Will be carried out biochemical and morphological analysis of the knee joint, including radiography, histology, total leukocytes, differentiated activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO), RT-PCR (COX-1, COX-2, IL-1², IL-6 , IL-10, TNF-±, MMP-3 and MMP-13), analysis of cytokines by ELISA (TNF-±, IL-1², IL-6 and IL-10), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and Finally, Western-Blott (COX-1 and COX-2). (AU)