OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Xianzhong Injection (XI) on morphology of knee and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in rabbits with early stage osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODSOne hundred and twenty rabbits were randomly divided into 5 groups, the blank group, the model group treated with 0.5 mL normal saline once a week, the positive control group treated with 0.5 mL hyaluronate once a week, and the XI 1 group and XI 2 group with 0.5 mL XI once and twice a week, respectively, all the medicines were medicated via intra-articular injection. Knee joint function was examined 8 weeks after modeling, IGF-1 content in serum and synovia was detected, and the histologic examination of articular cartilage was observed by Mallory staining as well.

RESULTSThe improvement of knee joint function was better in the XI 1 and 2 groups than that in the model group (P < 0.01), and that in the XI 1 group was equivalent to that in the positive control group (P > 0.05). Histologic examination showed there was no calcification in all the layers of cartilage in the positive control group and the XI 1 group with complete cartilaginous bluish-green collagen preserved. The content of IGF-1 increased in synovia and serum in the positive control group and the two XI groups as compared with that in the model group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONXI can improve knee joint function to certain extent in early OA, and repair the degenerative cartilage.