iNTRODUCTION
During the past decade, the commonly used drugs for osteoarthritic pain were aspirin, other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and corticosteroids.
However, side effects have been associated with prolonged use of these drugs. During the past 5 years, selective inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 (an enzyme involved in the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines) have shown promising analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions without serious adverse effects.
However, these drugs are expensive, and the need remains for a lowcost, safe remedy for long-term treatment of osteoarthritis.