Diosgenin-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathway modulation for osteoarthritis treatment: molecular mechanisms, bioavailability enhancement, and therapeutic applications

The review has comprehensively examined the therapeutic potential of phytoconstituents in the treatment of arthritis with specific emphasis being given to diosgenin as a promising natural molecule. Arthritis is a significant health concern in the world, with its two most common types; Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, becoming the causes of disability, and expensive to manage in the long run. Even though disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biologics have helped to better the patient outcomes, their side effects, high treatment cost, and inaccessibility demonstrate the necessity of safer and cheaper alternatives. The pharmacological significance of the root steroidal sapogenin, diosgenin, as a derivative of the species Dioscorea, that exhibits strong anti-inflammatory effects with clearly defined, molecular-based, mechanisms, is highlighted in this manuscript. Diosgenin suppresses cartilage destruction because of matrix metalloproteinases, the NF-kB signaling pathway as well as the major pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-a, IL-1b, and IL-6. It also has chondroprotective action to maintain the integrity of the extracellular matrix, increase levels of type II collagen and aggrecan, and decrease the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 by about 65–85% in the presence of inflammation. The challenges to clinical translation associated with formulation which are discussed in the review include the very low aqueous solubility of diosgenin (0.95 ug/mL) and oral bioavailability (< 7%). It addresses the use of the advanced delivery systems, including lipid nanoparticles, vesicular carriers and amorphous solid dispersions, which have demonstrated a 2.55-fold increase in bioavailability and also have the potential to improve therapeutic efficacy. Crucially, this review uniquely integrates these bioavailability enhancement strategies with diosgenin’s underlying molecular mechanisms, illustrating how optimised delivery systems are essential to fully unlock its therapeutic potential. Despite robust preclinical evidence supporting its anti-arthritic and chondroprotective actions, clinical investigations remain scarce, with only a few small studies and none directly evaluating diosgenin for arthritis outcomes. Overall, this review emphasises the need for well-designed clinical trials to validate the therapeutic promise of diosgenin and related phytoconstituents, paving the way for safer, accessible, and multi-targeted natural interventions for arthritis management.