Objective To analyze the effect of Yaotongning capsule in the treatment of lumbar osteoarthritis patients.Methods From March 2013 to March 2015 in our hospital, 80 cases of lumbar osteoarthritis patients according to the digital table method were divided into two groups: the control group and the experimental group.The patients of the control group were given Bitongning, and the patients of the experimental group were given Yaotongning capsule, and the therapeutic effect, serum indexes and Japanese Orthopaedic Association ( JOA ) of two groups were compared. Results The curative effect of the experimental group was higher than control group(95.00%vs.67.50%) , the JOA score of the experimental group was higher than control group [(27.46 ±1.07)points vs.(21.06 ±1.89)points] (P<0.05).After treatment, the MMP-3(65.28 ±4.37) ng/L and IL-1β(12.43 ±1.01) ng/L of the experimental group were significantly lower than MMP-3(79.56 ±5.36) ng/L, IL-1β(16.44 ±1.03) ng/L of the control group, and the difference was significant (P<0.05).Conclusion The lumbar osteoarthritis patients with Yaotongning capsule has obvious effect, and the function of lumbar intervertebral joint improves obviously, and the serum index is normal, safe and reliable.