Ameliorative Effect of Moringa oleifera Leave on the Thickness of Articular Cartilage in Arthritic Rat Model

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the protective effect of Moringa oleifera on articular cartilage of formalin-induced arthritis in rats. Study Design: The study design was a lab-based experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy, Islamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi, from September 2020 to September 2021. Methodology: A total of 30 mature male albino rats, weighing between 250 and 300 g, were randomly assigned to three separate groups. The sample size for this study was 10. With the exception of animals belonging to Group A, all other animals were administered a subplanter injection of formaldehyde on their right paw on both day 1 and day 3 of the experiment. The rats in Group A and Group B were provided with a standardized diet for rats. During the course of the trial, rats in Group C were administered Moringa aqueous extract at a dosage of 500 mg/kg body weight via oral administration for a continuous period of 28 days. Following the conclusion of the experiment, all the animals underwent dissection. The right hind leg was subsequently extracted, processed, and stained using H and E and toluidine blue. This was done to facilitate microscopic assessment of the thickness of both uncalcified and calcified cartilage (CC). The data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 21. Results: The administration of Moringa aqueous extract through oral means resulted in a noteworthy increase in the thickness of uncalcified cartilage ( P < 0.001 when comparing different groups). In addition, there was a decrease in the thickness of CC, with Group A measuring 9.26 ± 0.21 µm, Group B measuring 62.92 ± 0.21 µm, and Group C measuring 14.01 ± 0.21 µm ( P < 0.01). Conclusion: Moringa leave extract is an effective antiarthritic agent in ameliorating the thickness of articular cartilage thickness in an arthritic rat model.