Osteoarthritis is one of the most ancient human and animal conditions. According to the paleontological findings, people suffered from it as far back as in the Stone Age. Arthritis is a most common form of articular pathology, with around 10-12% of the population affected. The disease correlates with the age, it is more likely to develop after 40-45 years of age, and 97% of individuals aged 60 and older are affected by the disease. Osteoarthritis is identified in men and women equally often, except for osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints of hands which is 10-fold more frequent in women. According to the data of US and European rheumatologists, this disease accounts for up to 69-70% of rheumatic diseases.