EVALUATING THE EFFICACY OF METFORMIN IN MANAGING KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS AMONG OBESE INDIVIDUALS

Varshini S.*, Dr. K. Karthickeyan and Dr. P. Shanmuga Sundaram

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term, degenerative joint disease that is aggravated by obesity through both mechanical and metabolic stress. Conventional OA therapy targets symptom improvement with little effect on the course of the disease. Metformin, a first- line antidiabetic medication, has been identified as a potential disease-modifying treatment for obese patients with knee OA because it possesses anti-inflammatory, chondroprotective, and weight-reducing effects. This review discusses the mechanisms through which metformin yields positive effects on OA, such as the activation of AMP- activated protein kinase (AMPK), suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-α, lowering of oxidative stress, and enhancement of cartilage homeostasis. Clinical and preclinical data exist for its ability to alleviate pain, maintain joint integrity, and retard the requirement for surgery. Although promising, more large-scale, randomized controlled trials are needed to define metformin's place in OA management. Metformin is a safe, affordable, and widely available adjunctive therapy that may help the increasingly large population of obese OA patients in meaningful ways.