Drug-induced inhibition of proteoglycanase activity in the Hulth-Telhag model

Evidence has accumulated that there are increased degradative enzymes in osteoarthritis responsible for joint destruction. These enzymes are metal-dependent, and inhibited by EDTA. EDTA was administered intra-articularly to rabbits in an experimental model of osteoarthritis. There was a 25% reduction in neutral proteoglycanase activity and 75% of the animals had a reduction in the severity of the arthritis as measured on a histologic-histochemical grading system. It is suggested that future chemotherapeutic studies on arthritis might focus on enzyme inhibition.