ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of Mailuoning Compound for treatment of early steroid-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head (SONFH) in rats by obturator nerve block. Method: 24 rats were injected with endotoxin 10 μg·kg-1 through tail vein. After 24 hours, prednisolone acetate 20 mg·kg-1 was given by intraperitoneal injection, once every 24 hours for 3 consecutive days. After successful modeling, the rats were randomly divided into the model group (n=12), the treatment group (n=12) and the normal control group (n=6). In the treatment group, 2 mL·kg-1 of Mailuoning compound was injected into the obturator nerve from the 4th day, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. The arterial blood was collected from rats on the first day of the 9th week after model building to detect the content of blood lipid; the femoral head was taken to prepare the paraffin section, and the pathological changes of femoral head was observed and the changes of empty bone lacuna rate, bone trabecular area and bone lacuna area were quantitatively analyzed; The changes of bone morphogenetic proteins(BMPs),transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),vascular endothelial cell growth factor(VEGF),and Ⅷ factor related antigen(Ⅷ-R Ag) were quantitatively analyzed by immunohistochemical method. Result: In the model group, the bone trabeculae were sparse, thin, disorganized and broken; some of the bone cells were necrotic and the number of empty bone lacunae was increased. In the treatment group, the number of trabeculae was increased; the structure was clear, most of which was normal bone cells, with a few necrotic bone cells, and the number of empty bone lacunae was decreased obviously. The rate of empty bone lacuna and the area of bone lacuna in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group (Pβ1 and the microvessel density of Ⅷ-R Ag in the treatment group were significantly higher than those in the model group (PPConclusion: Mailuoning compound can improve the microcirculation state of femoral head, promote the formation of new bone and blood vessel in femoral head by regulating the expression of VEGF, BMPs, TGF-β1, Ⅷ-R Ag and down-regulating blood lipid content, thus effectively controlling the development of early SONFH. This can provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of early SONFH.