ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the mechanism of therapeutic action of needle knife “regulating sinews and treating bones” on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) by observing the effect of needle knife intervention on KOA rabbit behaviors, mechanical characteristics of patellar ligament (PL), and expressions of interleukin-4 (IL-4), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and aggrecan in knee cartilages.Methods Forty New Zealand rabbits were randomly allocated to blank, model, needle knife and electroacupuncture groups, 10 rabbits each. A rabbit model of KOA was made by the modified Videman method of immobilization in extension position. After model making, the needle knife and electroacupuncture groups received needle knife and electroacupuncture treatments, respectively. A behavioral assessment was made using the modified Lequesne MG knee grade evaluation method in every group after model making and treatment. The samples were taken after treatment. PL tension, stress relaxation and creep state were tested using a Bose Electro Force 3300 protracted test machine. Cartilage cell IL-4 expression was examined by ELISA. MMP-3 mRNA and aggrecan mRNA expressions were detected by real-time PCR.Results After model making, there was a statistically significant difference in the Lequesne MG score between the model and blank groups (P0.05). There was a statistically significant post-treatment difference in the Lequesne MG score between the needle knife or electroacupuncture group and the model group (P0.05).Conclusion The mechanism of action of needle knife treatment on KOA may be that it improves ligament mechanical characteristics, regulates intra-articular stress environment, and modulates aggrecan mRNA and MMP-3 mRNA expressions and inhibits cartilage degeneration through IL-4 mechanical signal pathway, to produce the therapeutic effect of “regulating sinews and treating bones”.