title: Protective effects of calcium gluconate on osteoarthritis induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection and partial medial meniscectomy in Sprague-Dawley rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to determine whether calcium gluconate exerts protective effects on osteoarthritis (OA) induced by anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) transection and partial medial meniscectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Calcium gluconate was administered by mouth daily for 84 days to male ACL transected and partial medial meniscectomized Sprague-Dawley rats 1 week after operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-four days of treatment with 50 mg/kg calcium gluconate led to a lower degree of articular stiffness and cartilage damage compared to the OA control, possibly through inhibition of overexpressed cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and related chondrocyte apoptosis. Similar favorable effects on stiffness and cartilage were detected in calcium gluconate-administered rats. Additionally, calcium gluconate increased 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake based on observation of BrdU-immunoreactive cells on both the femur and tibia articular surface cartilages 84 days after intra-joint treatment with calcium gluconate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results demonstrate that calcium gluconate has a protective effect against OA through inhibition of COX-2 and related chondrocyte apoptosis.
authors.forename: Su-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Joo-Wan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ki-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: The Medical Research Center for Globalization of Herbal Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do 712-715, Repulic of Korea. gucci200@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Sae-Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002125:Calcium Gluconate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D002125:Calcium Gluconate