A sterile injectable aqueous formulation in the form of a gel is made up of hyaluronic acid (or one of the salts thereof) with or without other natural polysaccharide(s) and one or more polyols. The formulation is of intra-articular application in the treatment of joint degeneration, in some cases having a rheology similar to that of synovial liquid and always with an elevated resistance to degradation due to a synergistic action between the hyaluronic acid and the polyols.