ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that sodium hyaluronate inhibits cartilage damage in osteoarthritis and accelerates regeneration of cartilage cels, to stabilize and repair the articular cartilage. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the therapeutic effect of sodium-rich plasma combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on rabbit knee osteoarthritis. METHODS:Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups, control group, combined group, sodium hyaluronate group, PRP group and model group, and then an osteoarthritis model of the right knee was made in each rabbit. After modeling, sodium hyaluronate+PRP, sodium hyaluronate, autologous PRP and normal saline were givenviathe knee joint cavity in the latter four groups, respectively, once a week for 5 weeks. The control group received no treatment, as normal controls. At 1 week after treatment, ELISA assay was used to detect serum interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α levels, and changes of the articular cartilage were observed under a light microscope. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group, the levels of interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were al increased in the other four groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the levels of interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were lowered significantly in the combined, sodium hyaluronate and PRP groups (P< 0.01 orP< 0.05), and the most significant decline was in the combined group. Articular cartilage damage was severest in the model group and mildest in the combined group. Experimental findings indicate that intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate+PRP can reduce inflammation and protect the articular cartilage in knee osteoarthritis, which is better than a single drug injection.