title: Effects of diacerein at the molecular level in the osteoarthritis disease process.
abstract: In osteoarthritis (OA), the alterations in joint tissues are numerous and involve morphological, biochemical and metabolic changes and an upregulation of the inflammatory pathways. The focus of this article is a brief narrative review of the effects of diacerein, an antirheumatic drug from the anthraquinone chemical class, and its active metabolite, rhein, on the factors that participate in the complex interaction between OA tissues and cells leading to the progression of joint structural changes.
authors.affiliation: Arthritis Centre, University of Montreal, Head, Arthritis Division (CHUM), Osteoarthritis Research Unit, University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM), Notre-Dame Hospital, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Johanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martel-Pelletier
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Pelletier