In vitro Effects of Polysaccharide Gel Extracted from Durian Rinds (Durio zibethinus L.) on the Enzymatic Activities of MMP-2, MMP-3 and MMP-9 in Canine Chondrocyte Culture

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major joint disease found in animals, especially dogs, with 20% rate of incidence. The alternative therapy using medicinal plants has been of interest for a long time. Polysaccharide gel (PG) extracted from durian rinds (Durio zibethinus L.) was first isolated in 1998 for use in pharmaceuticals with its efficiency in open wound healing and antimicrobial activity. In this study, different concentrations of PG (1-100 g/ml) were used to evaluate the effect on canine chondrocytes through enzymatic activities of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), MMP-3 and MMP-9 concerning OA. The results showed that both proteolytic activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were inhibited significantly using the extract starting at a concentration of 50 g/ml. For MMP-3, enzymatic activity could not be inhibited by the PG extract in canine chondrocytes at any concentration level (1-100 g/ml). This could suggest that PG extract has a strong potential to inhibit MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities.