A review of the clinical efficacy and adverse effects of disease modifying osteoarthritic drugs (DMOADs) in dogs with special focus on glucosamine and pentosan polysulfate; do they work?

Osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a degenerative joint disease that progressively causes loss of joint function and is the most common and costly form of arthritis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are currently one of therapeutic treatment options for OA. Because NSAIDs do not alter the underlying pathophysiological process on the structural degradation of joint tissue but merely control signs of pain and inflammation, recent developments have allowed the use of treatments termed disease modifying osteoarthritic drugs (DMOADs) aimed at targeting the pathophysiologic processes of OA with the view of preventing, retarding progression of, or reversing morphologic changes associated with OA. Several in vitro and experimental studies have reported potential efficacy of glucosamine (GlcN) and pentosan polysulfate (PPS) as novel therapeutic agents of OA. This review will evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of DMOADs with particular focus on GlcN and PPS based on the prescribed outcome measures by European Medicines Agency.