Effectiveness of phytoconstituents and potential of phyto-nanomedicines combination to treat osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a well-known degenerative joint disease recognized by the deterioration of cartilage in the joints, leading to pain and reduced mobility. Traditional treatments for OA include pain management, physical therapy, and in severe cases, joint replacement surgery. In recent years, there has been growing interest in exploring the potential of phytoconstituents and nanomedicines combined for treating OA. Furthermore, with the increasing amount of study in this field, now is the opportune time for the widespread use of plant-derived medications as complementary and alternative medical therapies to be acknowledged and used for more efficient treatment of human ailments like OA. Combining phytoconstituents with nanomedicine technology (phyto-nanomedicine) can potentially enhance their effectiveness in treating OA. The phyto-nanomedicines has many advantages, including enhanced permeability, increased bioavailability, and sustained/controlled drug release at the joint site, decreased adverse effects, and possible use in combination treatment. It's important to note that while there is promising preclinical and some clinical evidence regarding the effectiveness of phyto-nanomedicine in OA treatment, further research is needed to establish their safety and efficacy conclusively. In this review, the effectiveness of phytoconstituents to treat OA and the potential of combining phytomedicines with nanoparticulate drug delivery to enhance the former therapeutic effectiveness is discussed in detail. Furthermore, we have also described briefly on the application of organ-on-chip and/or joint on-chip models to accelerate the identification of novel phytoconstituents and evaluate the potency of phyto-nanomedicines to treat OA.