Figure 3.

Oral administration of safflower seed extract inhibits cartilage destruction in DMM-induced arthritis mouse model. (A) Mice with DMM were orally administered PBS or safflower seed extract three times per week until week nine and analyzed at week nine. (B) Analysis of cartilage destruction was performed by safranin O staining. (C) Cartilage destruction was determined using the OARSI score at 9 weeks after DMM surgery. The section of cartilage destruction was compared with sham. Scale bars, 100 μm. (D) IL-1β, Mmp3, and Mmp13 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. (E) The increased expression of IL-1β, MMP3, and MMP13 in DMM-induced OA cartilage was quantified using ImageJ software v1.60. Data are shown as mean ± SD of each group (n = 5). # p < 0.05 compared with sham; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, and *** p < 0.001 compared with the group orally administered safflower seed extract.