“A central feature of osteoarthritis (OA) is the loss of articular cartilage, which is primarily attributed to cartilage breakdown.

Accumulating evidence also suggests that cannabinoids have chondroprotective effects.

In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, the present study provides the first in vitro evidence supporting that the synthetic cannabinoid WIN‑55 inhibits ADAMTS‑4 activity in unstimulated and IL‑1β‑stimulated human OA articular chondrocytes by decreasing the mRNA stability/expression of syndecan‑1 via CB2.

This suggests a novel mechanism by which cannabinoids may prevent cartilage breakdown in OA.

In addition, it also provides novel insights into the pharmacological effects of synthetic cannabinoids on OA.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27082728

“Chondroprotective: A specific compound or chemical that delays progressive joint space narrowing characteristic of arthritis and improvesthe biomechanics of articular joints by protecting chondrocytes.”   http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/chondroprotective