Effects of angelica and sodium ferulate injection on cartilage degeneration and metabolism of free radicals in rats with osteoarthritis

Objective: To explore the effects of angelica injection and sodium ferulate(SF) injection on cartilage degeneration and free radicals in rats with osteoarthritis. Methods; Animal models of osteoarthritis were made in rats by intraarticular injection of 4% papain. Forty-eight rats were divided into six groups (eight in every group): normal group, model group, 25% and 5% angelica injection treatment groups, 0.5% and 0.1% SF injection treatment groups. The animals began receiving angelica injection and SF injection of different concentration every three days by intraarticular injecting one week after the last injection of papain and were killed six weeks later. Macroscopic and histological analysis were performed on the articular cartilage. In the same time, the contents of MDA and the activity of SOD in the plasma and synovial fluid were detected. Results: Both drugs of high concentration could significantly repair cartilage degeneration (both P<0.01) and reduce the levels of MDA (both P<0.01) and enhance the SOD activity (both P<0.05). Both drugs of low concentration had no significant effect on SOD activity, but 0.1% SF could repair cartilage degeneration (P<0.01) and reduce the level of MDA in plasma and in synovia (P< 0.01 and P<0. 05 respectively). Conclusion: Both angelica and sodium ferulate injection have beneficial effect on repairment of the involved articular cartilage degeneration of the knee with experimental osteoarthritis in rats. Ferulate is one of effective components of angelica injection in treating osteoarthritis.