BACKGROUND:At present,osteoarthritis of knee is mainly treated with nona2 steroid drug in medication,but resulting in the
side effects on gastrointestinal tract.The research indicates that bushen yiqi huoxue formula,with litter side effect,improves remarkably pain and motor function of patients with osteoarthritis of knee.OBJECTIVE:To probe into the effect of bushen yiqi huoxue formula on
pathological process of the
cartilage of knee joint by setting up ostoarthritis of knee in rabbt.DESIGN:Randomized controlled study by observation in which the experimental animals were taken as the objects.SETTING:Animal experimental center of a university.MATERIALS:Totally 36 New Zealand normal male rabbits, weighted varied from 2.0 to 3.0 kg.METHODS:The experiment was performed in Animal Experimental Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from January 2002 to January 2003.Thirtya2 six New Zealand rabbits were involved to set up Hulth knee osteoarthritis model.After operation,they were randomized into 3 groups,named as model group,acetaminophen group and bushen yiqi huoxue formula group(formula group).Adopted corresponding managements in each group, the materials were collected at the 4th,8th and 12th week after operation for histological pathological assess.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Primary results: integrals of pathological changes in cartilage of joint in every group.Secondary results:￠ù Nakeda2 eye observation of cartilage of joint in every group.￠ú Optic microscopic observation of cartilage of joint in every group.RESULTS:The total integrals of pathological changes in cartilage of joint in model group,acetaminophen group and bushen yiqi huoxue formula group(formula group) at the 4th week were 18.50?à 1.00￡? 14.25?à 1.26￡? 11.75?à 2.22 respectively,and 30.75?à 1.26￡? 22.00?à 3.16￡? 17.75 ?à 2.21 at the 12th week respectively.The total integrals of pathological changes in cartilage of joint,in chondrocyte and in cartilage surface layer are in the sequence of model group > acetaminophen group > formula group successively.The significant or very significant differences present in the comparisons between groups.CONCLUSION:Bushen yiqi huoxue formula delays pathological progression of osteoarthritis of knee so that it can treat and prevent the disease.