Effect Of Fuyuan Capsule On Cartilageand Subchondral Bone In Experimentalrats With Osteoarthritis

Objective:To observe the effect of Fuyuan capsule on change of morphology ofarticular cartilage and expression of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), osteoprotegerin(OPG) and osteoprotegerin ligand(OPGL) in cartilage in rats withosteoarthritis (OA). Then,explore the mechanisms about treatment andrehabilitation of Fuyuan capsule.Methods:180adult healthy SD male rats(from the Animal Center of ChongqingMedical University)weighing200-250g used in this study. OA model wasestablished in150rats by improved Hulth’s method.One week afteroperation they were divided into five groups randomly:model controlgroup(group5),KangGuzengsheng capsule group(group4) and three groupswith different dosage of FuYuan capsule(group1-3).the other thirty ratswithout operation were as normal control(group6). group5and group6weregiven with physiological saline. group1-3were treated with FuYuancapsual (2229.90mg.kg-1.day-1,743.30mg.kg-1.day-1,371.65mg.kg-1.day-1) while, group4were perfused with KangGuZengSheng capsual557.00mg.kg-1.day-1for4,8and12weeks.then, Samples of knee joint werecollected at the4th,8th and12th week after all rats of each groupssacrificed.the structure of knee joint was observed under microscope. Theexpression and distribution of OPG and OPGL in articular chondrocyteswere evaluated by immunohistochemical staining and measured withImage Computer Analysis Software. Comparing the changes ofOPGL/OPG ratio.The mRNA expression of IL-1β,OPG and OPGL weredetected using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).Comparing the changes of OPG/OPGL ratio. Date was statisticallyexamined by one factor analysis of variance.Results:(1) Compared with normal control, the measurement of morphologyof cartilage in model group increased significantly (P <0.01).(2) Compared with model group, the measurement of morphology ofcartilage in group1-4were reduced significantly (P <0.05),(3) The OPG and OPGL of articular cartilage expressed in thecytoplasm of chondrocytes,which mainly distributed in articular cartilagesurface and middle layer.The rats in group1-4expressed a higher OPG andlower OPGL than model groups in all time points（P<0.05）.The ratio ofOPG/OPGL increased in group1-4when compared with model groups（P<0.05）. (4) The mRNA expression of OPG were stronger in group1-4thangroup5significantly(P<0.01),While, the mRNA expression of IL-1β andOPGL were slighter in group1-4than group5significantly(P<0.01),Theratio of OPG/OPGL increased in group1-2compared with group5(P<0.01) and group6(P<0.01).Conclusion:FuYuan capsule can obviously increase the protein and mRNAexpression of OPG, and decrease the mRNA expression of IL-1β andOPGL as well as the protein of OPGL, which can prevent the degenerationof articular chondrocytes and protect the subchondral bone from damagein the progress of osteoarthritis by raise the ratio of OPG/OPGL.