[Effects of sinomenine on synovial fluid and serum content of interleukin-1beta in rabbits with osteoarthritis].

Objective: To investigate the effects of intra-articular injection of sinomenine on interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) content in synovial fluid and serum in rabbits with osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Degenerative osteoarthritis in the knee joint of left posterior limb was induced in 36 rabbits by full extension using plaster cast for 6 weeks. Then the rabbits were randomly divided into untreated group, hyaluronic acid group and sinomenine group. Another 4 normal rabbits were selected as normal control group. Rabbits in the sinomenine group and the hyaluronic acid group received intraarticular injections of sinomenine and hyaluronic acid once a week for 5 weeks, respectively. The content of IL-1beta in synovial fluid and serum were measured before and after treatment by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The pathological changes of cartilaginous tissue were analyzed by using Mankin's score.

Results: Compared with those in the untreated group, synovial fluid and serum IL-1beta contents in the sinomenine group and the hyaluronic acid group were significantly decreased (P<0.01). And the synovial fluid and serum IL-1beta contents in the sinomenine group were lower than those in the hyaluronic acid group (P<0.05). The mean Mankin's score of cartilage in the sinomenine group was significantly lower than that in hyaluronic acid group (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Sinomenine may reduce the degree of articular degeneration in rabbit with OA through decreasing the content of IL-1beta in synovial fluid and serum.