March 3, 2026Open Access

Artemisinin exerts anti-inflammatory effects in osteoarthritis through the inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling

Key Points

TGF-β1 inhibition leads to significant anti-inflammatory effects of artemisinin in osteoarthritis.
Results indicate the potential of artemisinin to interact with multiple targets based on network pharmacology analysis.
Network pharmacology and docking reveal artemisinin's ability to regulate key pathways, including MMP-13.
Implications highlight the need for further validation of artemisinin's direct targets and specific tissue mechanisms.

Abstract

This study demonstrates that TGF-β1 plays an important pathogenic role in OA, as supported by MR and in vitro evidence, while ART exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic effects by counteracting TGF-β1-driven inflammatory responses. Network pharmacology and docking analyses further suggest multi-target pathway regulation and a potential interaction with MMP-13. ART may represent a viable therapeutic candidate for OA; however, further studies are required to validate direct targets and elucidate tissue-specific mechanisms.

Artemisinin exerts anti-inflammatory effects in osteoarthritis through the inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling

Key Points

Abstract

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