Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common articular disease that features cartilage loss and destruction. It has been confirmed that inflammation plays major roles in the progression of osteoarthritis. Caffeic acid (CA), a key dietary nutrient commonly found in coffee, has shown its anti-inflammatory properties in various inflammation diseases. However, the effects of CA in osteoarthritis remain explored. Here we investigated the effects of CA on IL-1 beta induced increased expression of inflammatory factors as well as the degradation of Collagen II and aggrecan in rat chondrocytes. CA prevented the cartilage damage induced by IL-1 beta in vivo organ culture of articular cartilage. Besides, the IL-1 beta induced increased production of inflammation factors such as iNOS and COX2 could be inhibited by CA. Additionally, CA could also suppress IL-1 beta induced expression of cartilage matrix catabolic enzymes such as ADAMTS5 and MMPs. Moreover, CA could prevent IL-1 beta induced degradation of Collagen II and aggrecan in chondrocytes. Furthermore, CA inhibited NF-kappa B activity and the activation of JNK pathway. This study reveals that CA inhibits IL-1 beta induced inflammation responses through suppression of NF-kappa B and MAPK related JNK signaling pathways. These results demonstrate that CA may provide new avenues for osteoarthritis treatment in future.