title: Shea Nut Oil Triterpene Concentrate Attenuates Knee Osteoarthritis Development in Rats: Evidence from Knee Joint Histology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Shea nut oil triterpene concentrate is considered to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Traditionally, it has been used to treat arthritic conditions in humans. This study aimed to investigate the effect of attenuating osteoarthritis (OA)-induced pain and joint destruction in rats by administering shea nut oil triterpene concentrate (SheaFlex75, which is more than 50% triterpenes).
  
  
  METHODS
  An anterior cruciate ligament transaction (ACLT) with medial meniscectomy (MMx) was used to induce OA in male Wistar rats. Different doses of SheaFlex75 (111.6 mg/kg, 223.2 mg/kg, and 446.4 mg/kg) were then intragastrically administered daily for 12 weeks after surgery. Body weight and the width of the knee joint were measured weekly. Additionally, incapacitance tests were performed at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 to measure the weight bearing of the hind limbs, and the morphology and histopathology of the medial femoral condyles were examined and were evaluated using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scoring system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study showed that SheaFlex75 reduced the swelling of the knee joint with OA and rectified its weight bearing after ACLT plus MMx surgery in rats. Treatment with SheaFlex75 also decreased ACLT plus MMx surgery-induced knee joint matrix loss and cartilage degeneration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SheaFlex75 relieves the symptoms of OA and protects cartilage from degeneration. SheaFlex75 thus has the potential to be an ideal nutraceutical supplement for joint protection, particularly for injured knee joints.
authors: Department of Medical Research, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Pharmacology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Jen-Hsin
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4779-8761
authors: JH
authors: Kao
authors: Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Sheng-Hsiung
authors: SH
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Family Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital Songshan Branch, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chun-Fu
authors: CF
authors: Lai
authors: Department of Pathology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Pathology, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Yu-Chieh
authors: YC
authors: Lin
authors: Department of Food Science, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan.
authors: Zwe-Ling
authors: ZL
authors: Kong
authors: Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.|Department of Anesthesiology, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chih-Shung
authors: CS
authors: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009754:Nuts / Q000737:chemistry*; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029632:Sapotaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils; D014315:Triterpenes