Chen Zhao-wei, Chen Yong-qiang
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200071, China.
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2008 Apr;6(4):372-5. doi: 10.3736/jcim20080409.
To observe the effects of Yanghe Decoction on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cartilage cells of osteoarthritis rabbits.
Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into normal group, untreated group and Yanghe Decoction-treated group. The rabbit model of osteoarthritis was established according to Hulth's method. The rabbits were sacrificed at the 8th week after administration of Yanghe Decoction for 14 days, and then rabbit tibia articular cartilage was removed. Sections of the cartilage were stained with Safranin O for histological examination. The cartilage histological characteristics were observed according to the method of Mankin. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to investigate the expression of VEGF. Articular cartilages were observed with microscopy and image analysis method was used to measure the expression intensity of VEGF.
There were significant differences in Mankin score between normal group and untreated group (P<0.01), and between untreated group and Yanghe Decoction-treated group (P<0.01). Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the expression intensity of VEGF in untreated group was significantly increased as compared with that in normal group (P<0.01), and also obviously higher than Yanghe Decotion-treated group.
VEGF plays an important role during early stage of OA. Yanghe Decoction can protect the articular cartilage through suppressing the VEGF expression in chondrocytes and then suppress angiogenesis.
观察阳和汤对兔骨关节炎软骨细胞血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）的影响。
将15只新西兰白兔随机分为正常组、未治疗组和阳和汤治疗组。按照胡尔特法建立兔骨关节炎模型。在给予阳和汤14天后的第8周处死兔子，然后取出兔胫骨关节软骨。对软骨切片进行番红O染色以进行组织学检查。根据曼金方法观察软骨组织学特征。进行免疫组织化学染色以研究VEGF的表达。用显微镜观察关节软骨，并用图像分析方法测量VEGF的表达强度。
正常组与未治疗组之间的曼金评分有显著差异（P<0.01），未治疗组与阳和汤治疗组之间也有显著差异（P<0.01）。免疫组织化学染色表明，未治疗组VEGF的表达强度与正常组相比显著增加（P<0.01），且也明显高于阳和汤治疗组。
VEGF在骨关节炎早期起重要作用。阳和汤可通过抑制软骨细胞中VEGF的表达进而抑制血管生成来保护关节软骨。
