Injections of drug-filled nanoparticles may relieve arthritis pain
A drug called pazopanib is known to provide brief relief from arthritis pain – encapsulating it in nanoparticles can make its effects last much longer, research in mice suggests
By Grace Wade
14 February 2024
Osteoarthritis affects 530 million people worldwide
Puwadol Jaturawutthichai/Shutterstock
Drug-delivering nanoparticles might help treat osteoarthritis. In mice with signs of the condition, a single injection of the particles relieved pain for months.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting about 530 million people worldwide. It occurs when the cartilage cushioning bones breaks down, causing joint stiffness and pain. Treatments for the condition are limited, and none of them prevent cartilage degeneration.
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Previous research indicates a drug called pazopanib may help relieve osteoarthritis pain. However, its effects only last a few days. So Hee-Jeong Im Sampen at the University of Illinois Chicago and her colleagues developed a method of administering it that prolongs its release.
The researchers encapsulated pazopanib inside nanoparticles that are designed to break down in the body and slowly release the drugs they carry into nearby tissue. The nanoparticles the team used have already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for delivering other medications. They then injected the nanoparticles into the knees of 16 mice, half of which had early signs of osteoarthritis and the other half of which had advanced signs. An equal number of animals received dummy injections of nanoparticles without pazopanib.
It is difficult to assess joint pain in animals, so the researchers focused on the rodents’ sensitivity instead, using the widely accepted idea that when an individual is experiencing pain – such as joint soreness – they are also more sensitive to physical touch.
