Olive oil eases knee osteoarthritis in rats

In an experimental study conducted by Turkish scientists, it was found that rats consuming foods prepared from freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil experienced reduced knee osteoarthritis and less joint damage.

Within the scope of the Scientific Research Project (BAP) at the University of Health Sciences (SBÜ), scientists from Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Bakırköy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul-Cerrahpaşa University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine conducted a study on the effects of freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

For the study, an osteoarthritis (knee degeneration) model was created by injecting monosodium acetate into the knees of rats in a laboratory setting. The animals were then fed special diets prepared with freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil for 21 days.

The study found that rats fed with freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil had reduced knee osteoarthritis and lower levels of oxidant compounds in their serum.

The results of the study were published in the latest issue of Clinical Rheumatology.

"ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS IS MECHANICAL WEAR"

Prof. Dr. Cemil Ertürk, project coordinator and Training Officer at the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic of SBÜ Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, stated that knee osteoarthritis is generally perceived as "joint wear," but the disease's biology shows similarities to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Ertürk emphasized that knee osteoarthritis is a multifactorial disease: "One of the main causes of knee osteoarthritis is mechanical wear. However, inflammatory diseases, genetic characteristics, and metabolic disorders also contribute to the process. Despite this, the primary cause of osteoarthritis is still not fully known."

HIGH BAD CHOLESTEROL FOUND IN THOSE WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Ertürk explained that through years of research, they found notable similarities between knee osteoarthritis and atherosclerosis.

He added that studies on atherosclerosis guided their research: "We know that the main factor damaging artery walls in atherosclerosis is oxidized bad cholesterol (ox-LDL). It has also been shown that the protective enzyme Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is reduced in this disease. In our 2012 study, we found that PON-1 levels were significantly low in patients with knee osteoarthritis."

Prof. Dr. Ertürk noted that in a 2015 study, osteoarthritis patients had very high body fat and significantly low muscle mass due to sarcopenia, showing a direct link between knee osteoarthritis and fat metabolism. In a 2017 study, oxidized LDL, which causes atherosclerosis, was also found to be high in patients with knee osteoarthritis, reinforcing the biochemical similarity between the two diseases.

"FRESHLY PRESSED EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL REDUCED CARTILAGE DAMAGE IN RATS"

Ertürk highlighted the importance of antioxidant foods in combating oxidized LDL and pointed to freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil, widely consumed in Mediterranean countries, as particularly noteworthy.

He said they conducted multicenter animal experiments: "We chemically induced osteoarthritis in rats by injecting monosodium acetate into their knees. Then, we fed them special diets infused with freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil. In the group fed olive oil, serum ox-LDL levels and oxidant compounds were significantly reduced. Histopathological examinations showed that osteoarthritis damage had lessened. In other words, freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil reduced cartilage degradation in rats."

Prof. Dr. Ertürk emphasized that the results should not be misinterpreted: "While these findings are valuable, it is not correct to see olive oil as a drug that treats osteoarthritis. Olive oil can only be considered as a supportive nutritional element. Moreover, this is an animal experiment. Conclusive results require large-scale human studies."