The effect of MSM in the treatment of ankle arthrosis: Is MSM as effective as methylprednisolone or hyaluronic acid?

Akpınar K, Şimşek EK, Özen Öİ, Haberal B · Journal of Orthopaedic Research

Radiological progression was slower with MSM than control, but the histopathological comparison of MSM against control found NO significant difference, and range of motion did not differ either. A useful caution that imaging and tissue can disagree. Incidentally, both injected comparators showed significant histopathological worsening.

Population

Sprague-Dawley rats, post-traumatic ankle osteoarthritis model, four groups

Intervention

Oral MSM 0.06 g/kg/day for 8 weeks

Comparator

Control, intra-articular methylprednisolone, intra-articular hyaluronic acid

Limitations

Small rat study (n=32, four groups) in ankle rather than knee; the positive finding is radiological only and the tissue endpoint was null.