Experimental study on the prevention and treatment of articular cartilage degeneration by using external treatment method of medicated mallet of Fengshigutong(Chinese drugs) medicated wine

ve To study the mechanism of external treatment method with medicated mallet full of Fengshigutong(Chinese drugs) medicated wine for preventing and curing articular cartilage degeneration Methods 18 Japanese big-ear rabbits were divided randomly into three groups; normal group, model group and treatment group. The models of rabbits knee of osteoarthritis(OA)were established by ligating the right femoral veins of the model group and treatment group. At 8 weeks after modeling, the rabbits in the treatment group were treated with medicated mallet (full of Fengshigutong medicated wine) knocking at right knee of rabbit till the skin was red and warm. This treatment lasted for 3 weeks,once daily and 20 minutes for each time. At 11 weeks, the samples of three groups were taken to measure: (1) content of hyaluronate(HA) in syn-ovial fluid in right knee of rabbits; (2)activity of plasming open activator(PA)and inhibitor of PA(PAI)in car-tilage; (3) concentrations of nitrogen monoxide(NO)in synovium; (4)at the same time,articular cartilage of in-ternal condyle of right femur were taken to observe pathologic changes. Results (1)The HA content in syn-ovia! fluid in the treatment group was higher than that of model group,and there was significant difference(P 0.05)between the two groups. But there was no difference(P0.05)between the treatment group and the normal group. (2)There was no difference(P0.05)in levels of PA and PAI in cartilage and the normal group compared with the model group, the PA activity in cartilage of the treatment group increased, while the PAI activity decreased.There was significant difference(P 0.05) between the two groups. (3)There was no difference(P0.05)in the NO concentration in synovial tissue between the treatment group and the normal group,but there was significant difference(P0.01)between the treatment group and the model group. (4) Pathologic changes:significant degeneration was found in articular cartilage of the model group,similar to the normal group. It was seldom found in the treatment group. Conclusion The results showed that this Chinese drugs was effective in protecting articular cartilage from degeneration, prophylaxis and treatment OA by im-proving microcirculation of articular cartilage and its surrounding tissues, inhibiting excessive generation of NO in synovial tissue to decrease liberating and diffusion of inflammatory substance,lightening PA activity in carti-lage,elevating PAI activity to eliminate the internal factor that resulted in articular cartilage degeneration,and increasing HA contents in synovial fluid.