| Because ion channels are involved in many cellular processes, drugs acting on ion channels have long been used to treat many diseases, especially those affecting the electrical excitation of tissue cells. With the continuous study of the pathological mechanism of ion channels, ion channels have been identified as potential new drug targets, and the therapeutic value of many basic drugs for ion channels has been confirmed. The experimental study of drug ion channel interaction shows that ion channel mutation increases or reduces the affinity for drugs and changes its potential therapeutic effect. Like the discovery of channel gene polymorphisms that may affect drug efficacy, these findings emphasize the necessity of ion channel research in order to identify drugs with more specific effects on channel subtypes or mutants in order to improve efficacy and reduce side effects. With a deeper understanding of ion channel genetics, structure and function, as well as the identification of new primary and secondary ion channel diseases, the number of ion channel drugs for the treatment osteoarthritis (OA) increases significantly. This paper reviews the role of ion channels in the pathogenesis of OA, focusing on voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7., purine receptor P2X3, transient receptor potential receptor TRPV1, and chloride (CL?) channel, in order to further guide drug research and development, and to provide reference basis for the diagnosis, treatment, and mechanism research of OA. |