using natural-product-based treatments, such as polymer loaded with ginger for the management of osteochondral disorder

This study reported the biological changes occurring after γ-irradiation of in vivo rat model and the osteochondral protective effect of gelatine-chitosan-ginger (gel-ch-ging). the results showed that electron paramagnetic resonance (epr) spectroscopy of gel-ch-ging showed two paramagnetic centres which correspond to g=2.19 and g= 2.002. the fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ftir) analyses revealed an increase in peak intensity at c–h chains, as well as, c=o carbonyl groups. the x-ray diffraction (xrd) analysis showed no change of crystallinity. after gamma ray exposure, the rat groups have received an osteochondral defect and then were treated with gel-ch-ging composite. sixty days post-surgery, a significant reduction in thiobarbituric acid-reactive compounds (tbars) was seen when compared to non-implanted rat group. concerning oxidative stress status, gel-ch-gin significantly improved superoxide dismutase (sod) 76 nmol/l, catalase (cat) 0.79 nmol/l, and glutathione peroxidase (gpx) 1.77 nmol/l activities in osteochondral tissue. regarding the histomorphometric parameters of cartilaginous tissue (ncg.th, µm), (ccg.th, µm), (cg.th, µm), irradiated-gel-ch-gin group showed a significant increase as compared to irradiated group with 116, 74 and  188 µm, respectively (p<0.01). the microanalysis showed a high percentage of o and c in the regenertaed osteochondral tissue and indicated the deposition of novel collagen matrix. the biomechanical behaviour showed a significantly enhanced hardness measurement (1.73±0 .029 vh, p<0.05) when compared with that of irradiated group biochemical markers suggested an osteocartilage repair capacity.  in fact, the levels of il-1β, il-6, tnf-α and vegf in the implanted rat with gel-ch-ging composite exhibited 51±3.48, 30.05±5.18, 65.12±4.33 and 40.42±3.32 ng/l, respectively. our findings suggested that gel-ch-ging composite might have promising potential applications for cartilage healing.