The preventive effect of Chinese medicine with Replenishing kidney and invigorating Qi on rabbits osteoarthritis / 国际中医中药杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the mechanism of preventive effect of Chinese medicine with Replenishing kidney and invigorating Qi on osteoarthritis. Methods 72 male Long-eared white rabbits aged 4 months were randomly divided into six groups, A group (blank control group), B group (model group), C group (traditional Chinese medicine high-dose prevention group), D group (Chinese herbal medicine with medium-dose prevention group), E group (Chinese herbal medicine with low-dose prevention group), F group (glucose-amino acid hydrochloride capsules prevention group).All the animals apart from A group were established osteoarthritis model by immobilizing knee joint with plaster cast for 6 weeks. In the same time of immobilization, traditional Chinese medicine and glucose-amino acid hydrochloride capsules were given to C, D, E and F group for 4 weeks. Physiological saline was given to B group. After 6 weeks of modeling, synovial fluid was extracted and the changes of TNF-α in it were analyzed by ELISA. Results Articular cartilage degeneration of B group was most obviously compared with C, D, E and F group. There was a significant difference of TNF-α level in comparison of A and B group (P＜0.05), B and C, D, E and F group (P＜0.05), and among C, D and E group. Conclusion Chinese medicine with replenishing kidney and invigorating Qi can prevent osteoarthritis by reducing TNF-α level in synovial fluid, enhancing cartilage cell metabolism, and slowing down cartilage degradation.