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Osteoarthdtis (OA) is a common, chronic, and painful disorder characterized by cartilage loss. It is the most common among all rheumatic disorders and is a major cause of disability. OA can be managed with a variety of pharmacological therapies, including acetaminophen, traditional nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, cyclooxygenase2 inhibitors, intraarticular steroids, viscosupplements, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and capsaicin. In this review, I describe the clinical efficacy and side effects of these pharmaceuticals and review diseasemodifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOAD), such as glucosamine, diacerein, and avocado/soybean unsaponifiables, of which the clinical efficacy still remains to be determined.
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