Huoxuezhitong capsule ameliorates MIA-induced osteoarthritis of rats through suppressing PI3K/ Akt/ NF-κB pathway

[Display omitted] •Huoxuezhitong capsule ameliorates osteoarthritis pain induced by monosodium iodoacetate.•Huoxuezhitong capsule can relieve synovial inflammation through suppressing phosphorylated-PI3K and NF-κB activation.•Suppressing the PI3K/Akt/ NF-κB pathway maybe a novel strategy for osteoarthritis therapy. Huoxuezhitong capsule (HXZT, activating blood circulation and relieving pain capsule), has been applied for osteoarthritis since 1974. It consists of Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F. H. Chen ex C. H., Boswellia sacra, Borneol, Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker, Pyritum. However, the direct effects of HXZT on osteoarthritis and the underlying mechanisms were poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to explore the analgesia effect of HXZT on MIA-induced osteoarthritis rat and the underlying mechanisms. The analgesia and anti-inflammatory effect of HXZT on osteoarthritis in vivo were tested by the arthritis model rats induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA).. Mechanistic studies confirmed that HXZT could inhibit the activation of NF-κB and down-regulate the mRNA expression of related inflammatory factors in LPS-induced RAW264.7 and ATDC5 cells. Furtherly, in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells, HXZT could suppress NF-κB via inhibiting PI3K/Akt pathway. Taken together, HXZT capsule could ameliorate MIA-induced osteoarthritis of rats through suppressing PI3K/ Akt/ NF-κB pathway.