Comparison of the effects of chronic intra-articular administration of tenoxicam, diclofenac, and methylprednisolone in healthy rats.

Objective: Lyophilized drug manufacturing and intra-articular (IA) applications have increased to address gastrointestinal side effects resulting from chronic treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for degenerative joint disease. Accordingly, we histologically examined joint and stomach tissues from rats to determine and compare the effects of long-term treatment with an IA corticosteroid (methylprednisolone acetate), lyophilized NSAID (tenoxicam), and non-lyophilized NSAID (diclofenac) following application to the knee joint.

Methods: One hundred Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups of 25 rats: control, methylprednisolone, tenoxicam, and diclofenac.