Menopause-associated estrogen deficiency has been implicated in cartilage degeneration and osteoarthritis (OA) progression. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates evidence from human and animal studies. Five databases were searched until March 2025. Eligible studies included postmenopausal women or ovariectomized (OVX) animal models assessing cartilage degeneration, OA severity, or related biomarkers. Human and animal studies were analyzed separately. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted when outcomes were comparable. Eleven studies met the criteria (human, n = 6; animal, n = 5). Pooled human results for C-terminal telopeptides of type II collagen and magnetic resonance imaging-based cartilage thickness showed non-significant trends toward greater cartilage loss in estrogen-deficient women. OVX animal studies demonstrated significantly greater histological cartilage degeneration compared with controls. Hormone replacement therapy showed inconsistent but directionally protective effects. Estrogen deficiency is associated with cartilage degeneration, with strong supportive evidence from OVX models. Human evidence indicates similar trends but lacks statistical significance, highlighting the need for larger and more standardized studies.

Neurodegenerative diseases are the consequences of imbalance between the production of oxidative stress and its nullification by cellular defense mechanisms. Hydrogen peroxide (HO), a precursor of deleterious reactive oxygen species, elicits oxidative stress, resulting in severe brain injuries. Bacopa monnieri is well known for its nerve relaxing and memory enhancing properties. The present study was designed to evaluate the protective effects of extracts from Bacopa monnieri against HO induced oxidative stress using a cellular model, neuroblastoma IMR32 cell line. The protective potential of methanolic, ethanolic, and water extracts of B. monnieri (BM-MEx, BM-EEx, and BM-WEx) was evaluated using MTT assay. Although, all the B. monnieri extracts were found to protect cells against HO-mediated stress but BM-MEx showed significantly greater protection. UPLC analysis of BM-MEx revealed various polyphenols, including quercetin, catechin, umbelliferone, and caffeic acid predominance. Further, BM-MEx was found to possess considerable greater neuroprotective potential in comparison to the standard polyphenols such as quercetin, catechin, umbelliferone, and caffeic acid. The levels of antioxidant enzymes were significantly elevated after the pretreatment of BM-MEx and quercetin. The expression levels of oxidative stress markers, such as NF200, HSP70, and mortalin, were significantly alleviated after the pretreatment of BM-MEx as shown by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the protective effects of BM-MEx, suggesting that it could be a candidate for the development of neuropathological therapeutics.
Antioxidants ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Bacopa ; chemistry ; Cell Line ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Neuroblastoma ; Neurodegenerative Diseases ; metabolism ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Polyphenols ; analysis ; pharmacology ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism