Effects of electroacupuncture on cartilage of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis

WANG Jieping; XU Lili

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2016.06.005

Abstract：Objectives To observe the effects of electroacupuncture ( EA ) on chondrocyte repairing of rabbits with knee osteoarthritis ( OA ) , and to explore its action mechanism .Methods Sixty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control group, model group and EA treatment group,with 20 rabbits in each group.The left knees of rabbits in model group and EA treatment group were immobilized in full extention with plaster casts for 6 weeks to establish OA models.After modeling and treatment for 15 days in EA treatment group , the related indexes including chondrocyte morphology , the content of proteoglycan and collagen matrix , the expression levels of IL-1βin femoral medial condyle cartilage were observed and detected .Results There was no obvious joint effusion in left knees of rabbits in control group ,however, which appeared in most rabbits of model group and EA treatment group ,with synovial hyperplasia .Cartilage surfaces in control group were smooth ,but fester and defection were observed in cartilage surfaces of rabbits of model group ,furthermore , toluidine blue staining was obviously destained .The chondrocyte numbers in EA treatment group were obviously increased and toluidine blue staining was slightly decreased .There were significant differences in cartilaginous structure , integrality scores of chondrocyte and tidal line between control group and EA treatment group ( P <0.05).There were significant differences in Mankin's toluidine blue scores between control group and EA treatment group as well as between model group and EA treatment group ( P <0.05).Conclusion The OA models established by immobilizing knee in full extention with plaster casts can well simulate the pathogenesis of OA .Electroacupuncture can promote the repairing of cartilage cells , thus, which can effectively treat knee osteoarthritis .