Regulative effect of moxibustion on experimental knee osteoarthritis in rabbit

Objective To explore the regulative effect of moxibustion on the expression of proteoglycan and collagen Ⅱ in cartilage of rabbit with experimental knee osteoarthritis(KOA) to providing experimental basis for curing KOA with moxibustion.Methods The KOA animal model was built up by injecting papain into knee joint of rabbit.After 6 weeks of treatment with moxibustion and medication respectively,changes of the contents of proteoglycans,collagen Ⅱ,IL-1β and MMP-1 were detected and analized by quantitative image analyzer technique.Results The contents of proteoglycans and collagen Ⅱ were increased by treatment of moxibustion,but the expression of IL-1β and MMP-1 were restrained.Similar changes happened in the group of medication.There were no statistical significances between the moxibustion treatment and the medication treatment.Conclusion Moxibustion could lighten the impairment of cartilage of KOA,and then the serious degree of KOA was alleviated.The possible mechanism of action was that moxibustion could restrain the inflammation in joints and reduce the activation of MMP-1 induced IL-1β.