Effects of Clematidis Radix Pharmacopuncture on MIA induced Osteoarthritis Rat

Objectives : This study was designed to investigate the anti-osteoarthritic effects of clematidis radix pharmacopuncture on the MIA-induced osteoarthritis rats. Methods : The subjects were divided into 4 groups ; Normal rat group(N, n=5), MIA-induced osteoarthritis control rat group(C, n=5), MIA-induced osteoarthritis rat group injected with normal saline at ST36(NS, n=5), and MIA-induced osteoarthritis rat group injected with clematidis radix pharmacopuncture at ST36(CR, n=5). The experiment was conducted over a period of 21 days after injecting MIA. We analyzed body weight, hind paw weight distribution, liver and renal function, immunocytes, cykokines, inflammatory mediators, inflammatory proteins and mRNA expressions, as well as histopathological changes. Results : The CR group showed a significant increase in the hind paw weight distribution, and significant decreases in IL-1β, IL-6, PGE2, LTB4, osteocalcin, deoxypyridinoline level, the protein expression of COX2, arachidonate 5 lipoxygenase, and the mRNA expression of COX2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and NOS-II. In terms of the joint damages induced by osteoarthritis, the CR group showed a greater protective effect than group C in histopathologic observation (H&E, Safranin-O staining). Conclusion : These results demonstrated that clematidis radix pharmacopuncture had anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. In addition, these results showed that it inhibited the progression of osteoarthritis.