Therapeutic effects of angelica and sodium ferulate on experimental osteoarthritis in rats / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

[Objective]To explore the therapeutic effects of angelica and sodium ferulate (SF) on experimental osteoarthritis and the related mechanisms in rats. [Method]Animal models of osteoarthritis were established in 40 rats by intra-articular injection of 4% papain. The rats were divided into five groups-model control group,25% and 5% angelica treatment groups, 0.5% and 0.1% SF treatment groups.Another additional 8 rats were used as normal control. Bilateral knees of the animalsin the treatment groups began receiving intra-articular injection of 0.1ml angelica injection or SF of corresponding concentration respectively every 3 days while those of the animals in the control groups received saline. All the animals were sacrificed 6 weeks later and samples of the cartilage, plasma and synovial fluid were taken. The contents of MDA and the activities of SOD in the plasma and synovial fluid were detected.Histological examinations of the cartilage were performed and immunohistochemical analyses for MMP-1, TIMP-1, Bcl-2 and Bax in the cartilage were done.[Result]25% Angelica and 0.5% SF significantly decreased the levels of MDA in both plasma and synovial fluid (P