Hesperidin protects against IL-1[beta]-induced inflammation in human osteoarthritis chondrocytes

Hesperidin is a vitamin P flavonoid compound primarily present in citrus fruits, which possesses an anti-inflammatory effect. The functional role of hesperidin in interleukin (IL)-1[beta]-stimulated human osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes is still unknown. In the present study, anti-inflammatory effects of hesperidin in IL-1[beta]-stimulated chondrocytes were investigated. The results demonstrated that hesperidin treatment markedly decreased nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production and markedly downregulated inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in IL-1[beta]-stimulated OA chondrocytes. In addition, hesperidin markedly reduced IL-1[beta]-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-13 expression in human OA chondrocytes. Furthermore, hesperidin markedly decreased the activation of nuclear factor (NF)-[kappa]B in human OA chondrocytes. In conclusion, it was revealed for the first time that hesperidin inhibited inflammatory responses in IL-1[beta]-stimulated human chondrocytes, potentially through inhibiting the activation of the NF-[kappa]B signaling pathway. These data suggest that hesperidin may be a potential agent for the treatment of OA. Key words: hesperidin, osteoarthritis, inflammation, nuclear factor [kappa]B