The effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Mangifera indica on induced osteoarthritis of knee in male guinea pigs

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the top six diseases for which complementary and alternative medicine is used. Among the herbal products, mango could be regarded as a potential natural remedy for OA due to its anti-inflammatory characteristics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the healing effect of mango on OA of the knee. Eighteen male guinea pigs were chosen, and anterior cruciate ligament transection was performed for them to induce OA for the animal models. Then, they were recruited in four treatment groups (n = 5): (a) oral treatment, (b) intra-articular injection treatment, (c) prevention, and (d) control. After 18 weeks, the outcomes were evaluated by radiologic and histopathologic assessments. Histopathological assessment of the articular cartilages showed smooth and continuous articular surface with columnar cell distribution in the injection group which were improved better than the others while the surface in the control group has an irregularity. The radiological assessment of the knee joints shows that they were improved during the second 4 weeks after treatment. Radiological findings were similar to histopathologic assessment in which the improvement of the articular cartilage was better in the injection group compared with the oral and prevention group. The control group did not change remarkably. It seems that Mangifera fruit can be regarded as an effective complementary and alternative treatment for OA of the knee.