Evaluating the Efficacy of Diosmetin in Arthritis Treatment in Albino Wistar Rats

Introduction Arthritis has emerged significant public health problem worldwide, characterized by the chronic joint inflammation, cartilage erosion, pain, and loss of movement. Diosmetin (DT), a bioactive flavonoid present in several Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal preparation derived from Citrus species, has been traditionally associated with strong anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic activity. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of DT in Complete Freund Adjuvant (CFA) induced arthritis model in Albino Wistar rats. The study hypothesized that DT may attenuate inflammatory and oxidative alterations associated with experimental arthritis through multi-target anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanism. Method Arthritis is successfully induced using CFA and animal were categorized into five groups (n = 6 each group): Normal Control, Arthritic Control, Arthritic + DT (25 mg/kg), Arthritic + DT (50 mg/kg), and Arthritic + Methotrexate (MTX) (2 mg/kg/weekly, i.p.) as a positive control. All treatments were orally given for 21 days, except methotrexate. Various parameters including, clinical arthritis scores, paw volume, pain thresholds, oxidative stress parameters (malondialdehyde [MDA], superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione [GSH], pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), histopathology, and radiographic were assessed. Results DT significantly diminished the arthritic scores, paw oedema, and pain behaviour in comparison with the arthritic untreated group (p < 0.05). A marked decrease in MDA and a significant increase in SOD and GSH activity were observed in diosmetin-treated groups. Additionally, DT significantly suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Histological study confirmed that preservation of cartilage architecture with reduced synovial inflammation, and radiographic findings showed reduced joint space narrowing and bone erosion. Conclusion In conclusion, DT exhibited significant anti-arthritic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effect in a CFA induced arthritis model. These findings suggest its potential as a promising therapeutic cargo for arthritis management and supports its pharmacological relevance in TCM-associated therapeutic applications.