A pharmaceutical composition including 2-hydroxy-N&mdash；[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]benzamide and used for treatment of osteoarthritis is revealed. The pharmaceutical composition inhibits tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induced interferon regulatory factor (IRF). The activated IRF stimulates chondrocytes to secret matrix metalloproteinases, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), aggrecanases, etc. This leads to loss of collagen II and further causes degradation of proteoglycan. By suppression of signaling pathways of interferon regulatory factor, symptoms are relieved and osteoarthritis is treated.本發明係關於一種醫藥組成物用於製備關節炎藥物之用途，該醫藥組成物包含了2-羥基-N-[3-(三氟甲基)苯基]苯甲醯胺之化合物，該醫藥組成物能抑制腫瘤壞死因子所誘發之干擾素調節因子。該干擾素調節因子的活化能刺激軟骨細胞分泌基質金屬蛋白酶、誘導型一氧化氮合成酶及聚蛋白多醣酶等，使得第二型膠原蛋白流失；進而造成蛋白多醣的降解作用。藉由抑制干擾素調節因子的訊息傳導，退化性關節炎的症狀也因此得以減緩，達到治療的目標。
