TESTING DRUGS ON HUMAN OSTEOARTHRITIC ARTICULAR-CARTILAGE

New drugs are generally developed against animal models of the human d isease. Before they are subjected to clinical trials it might be helpf ul to be able to test whether they are as effective against the diseas e in human tissue as they were in animals. It is proposed that this ca n be achieved by the use of organ maintenance culture of the human dis eased tissue, the relevant biochemical parameters being measured by qu antitative cytochemistry. In the present studies differences between t he effect of indomethacin and of the 'chondroprotective' drug diclofen ac sodium, on human osteoarthritic cartilage, have been measured.