The effect and mechanism of QufengZhitong capsule for the treatment of osteoarthritis in a rat model

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects and mechanism of Qufeng Zhitong (QFZT)capsule for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) in a rat model. Methods 8-10-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into the sham group (vehicle-treated), OA group (vehicle-treated), high-dose, middle-dose, low-dose of QFZT capsule -treated groups. OA was induced by transecting the medial collateral ligament and the medial meniscus in the right limb. The Sprague–Dawley rats were treated daily for 12 weeks with different concentrations of QFZT capsule : low (QFZT-L, 128 ​mg/kg), medium (QFZT-M, 256.5 ​mg/kg), and high (QFZT-H, 513 ​mg/kg) by gavage administration for a period of 4 and 12 weeks respectively. Vehicle-treated rats served as controls and administered 0.5% Carboxymethyl Cellulose Sodium (CMC-Na) by gavage on the same schedule. Weekly measurement of dynamic weight-bearing capacity, grip strength, joint swelling was were performed to monitor the progression of disease for 3 weeks. After euthanasia, the knee joints were articular cartilage changes. Pro-inflammatory gene expression in synovial joints was examined to assess the bone and cartilage changes. Gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in synovial joints was measured to determine the therapeutic effect of QFZT. Results 2 weeks after the treatment, the grip strength and weight-bearing capacity were significantly increased in the QFZT-M and QFZT-H groups, compared with the OA group. The joint widths were decreased significantly in the QFZT-L and QFZT- H groups, compared with the OA group as well. The mRNA level in the articular cartilage of knee joint of IL-1β in the QFZT-L group and IL-6 in the QFZT-H group was significantly suppressed at week 4, compared with the OA group. The radiology score was significantly decreased in the QFZT-H group compared with the OA group 12 weeks after treatment. Furthermore, the rats on QFZT treatment decreased the progression of OA, which was characterised by decreased cartilage degradation. However, the bone changes were no different in OA group and QFZT groups. Conclusion In a rat model of OA, QFZT capsule shows the tendency to reduce the destruction of cartilage, joint swelling and bone erosion which provides new evidence for the therapeutic potential of QFZT capsule in the treatment of OA in clinics. The translational potential of this article The QFZT capsule can improve the symptoms of the OA in rodent animal rats by attenuating pain and retarding cartilage damage. This study indicated that the QFZT capsule has the potential clinical application of in OA therapy.

Biomimetic Joint Paint for Efficient Cartilage Repair by Simultaneously Regulating Cartilage Degeneration and Regeneration in Pigs

“…Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease and the leading cause of disability. − Cartilage lesions do not recover spontaneously, which eventually leads to cartilage degeneration and a vicious circle with OA. , Partial-thickness cartilage defects are hard to repair due to their irregular shapes and depth, lack of blood supply, and lack of a cell adhesion microenvironment . Recently, adhesive hydrogels have been widely studied for enhancing cartilage regeneration because the adhesion to host tissue could facilitate the integration of neo-tissue and host tissue .…”

Quantitative Analysis of Multicomponents in Qufeng Zhitong Capsule and Application of Network Pharmacology to Explore the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Focused Compounds

“…QZC could inhibit the expression of pulmonary fibrosis-related inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IFN- γ , TNF- α , and IL-17A to ease alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis in the bleomycin-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis model [ 19 ]. In addition, QZC can also be applied to treat various inflammatory diseases, such as osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder [ 20 , 21 ]. Therefore, in the present study, we employed network pharmacology to explore the correlation between the 16 identified compounds and their anti-inflammatory activity.…”

“…QZC could inhibit the expression of pulmonary fibrosisrelated inflammatory factors such as IL-6, IFN-c, TNF-α, and IL-17A to ease alveolitis and pulmonary fibrosis in the bleomycin-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis model [19]. In addition, QZC can also be applied to treat various inflammatory diseases, such as osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder [20,21].…”

Positive feedback loop of lncRNA FAM201A/miR‑146a‑5p/POU2F1 regulates IL‑1β‑induced chondrocyte injury in vitro

“…OA is one of the most common joint diseases and is becoming a public health concern worldwide ( 1 ). At present, the treatment strategy for OA is mainly focused on relieving the symptoms ( 5 ). However, the underlying mechanisms of OA development remain to be fully elucidated, forcing the majority of patients with advanced OA to eventually require joint replacement surgery.…”

“…IL-1β is frequently used to establish the OA model in vitro ( 4 ). At present, treatment methods for OA include surgery, physiotherapy and drug therapy ( 5 , 6 ). However, they can only relieve the symptoms of arthritis instead of effectively curing the condition in addition to being limited by the occurrence of adverse reactions ( 7 ).…”