Pharmacological management of osteoarthritis: Position statement of the Indian Orthopaedic Rheumatology Association

• Author Details:   
• Manish Khanna ^*
• Amitava Narayan Mukherjee
• Partha Sarkar
• Vishnu Senthil
• Rajesh Gupta
• Shantanu Lakhar
• Atul Sharma

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the general population, accounting for more pain and functional disability than any other musculoskeletal disease. There remains a paucity of effective and safe pharmacologic options for the management of OA, with oral and topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) being the primary medications recommended. Therefore, nutraceuticals and supplements have emerged as possible adjuncts or alternatives. Undenatured collagen type II has been studied for its potential benefits during OA supportive care in preclinical and clinical studies, demonstrating positive results with substantially lower therapeutic doses. This review article aims to provide a scientific rationale for a treatment algorithm for the management of OA, including analgesics and nutraceuticals such as undenatured collagen type II and other nutrients.

Keywords: Osteoarthritis, Oral analgesia, Non-surgical management, Topical medication, Intra-articular delivery, Nutraceuticals, Undenatured type II collagen