摘要Objective:Osteoarthritis(OA)is a degenerative joint disorder characterized by the gradual degradation of joint cartilage and local inflammation.This study aimed to investigate the anti-OA effect of scutellarein(SCU),a single-unit flavonoid compound obtained from Scutellaria barbata D.Don,in rats.Methods:The extracted rat chondrocytes were treated with SCU and IL-1β.The chondrocytes were divided into control group,IL-1β group,IL-1β+SCU 50 μmol/L group,and IL-1β+SCU 100 pmol/L group.Morphology of rat chondrocytes was observed by toluidine blue and safranin O staining.CCK-8 method was used to detect the cytotoxicity of SCU.ELISA,qRT-PCR,Western blotting,immunofluorescence,SAβ-gal staining,flow cytometry,and bioinformatics analysis were applied to evaluate the effect of SCU on rat chondrocytes under IL-1β intervention.Additionally,anterior cruciate ligament transection(ACL-T)was used to establish a rat OA model.Histological changes were detected by safranin O/fast green,hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,and immunohistochemistry.Results:SCU protected cartilage and exhibited anti-inflammatory effects via multiple mechanisms.Specifically,it could enhance the synthesis of extracellular matrix in cartilage cells and inhibit its degradation.In addition,SCU partially inhibited the nuclear factor kappa-B/mitogen-activated protein kinase(NF-κB/MAPK)pathway,thereby reducing inflammatory cytokine production in the joint cartilage.Furthermore,SCU significantly reduced IL-1β-induced apoptosis and senescence in rat chondrocytes,further highlighting its potential role in OA treatment.In vivo experiments revealed that SCU(at a dose of 50 mg/kg)administered for 2 months could significantly delay the progression of cartilage damage,which was reflected in a lower Osteoarthritis Research Society International(OARSI)score,and reduced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13(MMP13)in cartilage.Conclusion:SCU is effective in the therapeutic management of OA and could serve as a potential candidate for future clinical drug therapy for OA.