| Aim:To investigate the effects of Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill on the histomorphology of the knee osteoarthritic rabbit model.Material and method: 24 healthy Japanese white rabbits were divided randomly into four groups of six according to the homeostatic principle among groups, which were the normal group, animal model group, control group (Zhuang Gu Guan Jie pill) and treatment group (Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill) respectively. The knee osteoarthritic rabbit models were prepared according to the modified Hulth classic protocol. Cut off the medial collateral ligament, anterior and the posterior cruciate ligament through the medial knee joint proach, and resect the medial meniscus completely with the articular cartilage surface keeping intact, and then suture the tissues layer-by-layer without fixing. 200 thousand units penicillin was intramuscularly injected everyday after the operation. Change fresh dressing for the wound continually for seven days to prevent infection. Force the rabbits to exercise for 30 mins, twice a day, one week after the operation. The doses for the rabbit models were calculated according to the bodily form coefficients convertion method. 10 mL saline containing 0.756g Zhuang Gu Guan Jie pill was administered to the control group though gastric perfusion, three times a day, and same dose of Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill was administered to the treatment group in the same way. The tissues were harvested four weeks after administration: Kill the animals and remove rapidly the femoral intracondylar articular cartilage of the experimental side, which was then cut into 0.5cm×0.5cm×0.5cm tissue blocks. The blocks were put into 10% methanol within one minute and fixed, then followed by series dehydration, decalcification, routine paraffin embedding, sectioning, and HE stain. The alterations of the articular cartilage layering, chondrocyte, and the subchondral bone were observed with general microscope.Results:Macroscopic observation: the articular cartilage surface of the normal group was smooth and light blue; the control group (Zhuang Gu Gang Jie pill) appeared light yellow; the treatment group (Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill) turned pale; the animal model group appeared slightly rough and light yellow accompanied with synovium congestion. Microscope observation: In the animal model group, the articular cartilage surface was out of flatness and rough with many fissures inside. The articular cartilage desquamation was found in part tissues and the defect areas then formed. Part of the cells in superfacial layer and most in the transitional layer disappeared with clustering of cartilage cells. The emitting layer cells were longitudinally columnarly arranged with clustering of cells. In the control group (Zhuang Gu Guang Jie pill), some shallow fissures were found on the articular cartilage surface with no articular cartilage desquamation. Part of the cells in the superfacial layer disappeared, and cartilage cells clustered in the transitional layer. The emitting layer cells were longitudinally columnarly arranged with clustering of cells. In the treatment group (Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill), the articular cartilage surface was smooth. Part of the cells in the superfacial layer disappeared and the cells in the transitional layer were arranged in order with cartilage cell groups. The emitting layer cells were longitudinally columnarly orderly arranged with intact tidemarks. The experimental results above suggested that Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill could improve the osteo arthritis symptoms of the rabbit effectively, which helped to maintain the normal morphology of the cartilage cells and recover the biological function of the joint; and meanwhile, it could improve the synovium swelling and congestion in osteo arthritis and maintain the normal morphology of the cartilage cells more remarkably.Conclusion:Zhi Gu Zeng Sheng pill has significant preventing and therapeutic effects on the osteo arthritis, whose clinical results are better than Zhuang Gu Guan Jie pill. |
PDF Full Text Request