Abstract
Objectives : This study was to investigate the effects of Clematidis Radix on Proteoglycan(PG) degradation by measuring of body weight, Glycosaminoglycan(GAG), Interleukin-$1{\beta}$($IL-1{\beta}$) in synovial fluid, and PG content of articular cartilage of femur in collagenase-induced arthritis in rats. Methods : Arthritis was induced by injection of collagenase(0.1 ml) into knee joint of rats. Arthritic rats were divided into control(n=8) and treated(n=8) group. Control group was taken normal saline for 15 days and treated group was taken extracts of Clematidis Radix for same duration. Normal group(n=8) was injected with normal saline and was taken normal saline for 15 days. Body weight was measured at 0, 10, 15 days after injection. GAG, $IL-1{\beta}$ in synovial fluid were measured with ELISA kit at 15 days after injection. PG content of articular cartilage of femur, represented by safranine O staining, was measured at 15 days after injection. Histopathological study on the articular cartilage of knee joint was investigated at 15 days after injection. Results : Body weight, PG of treated group, taken Clematidis Radix, were significantly increased, and GAG was significantly decreased compared with control group. But $IL-1{\beta}$ was not significantly decreased. Conclusions : On the basis of these results, we concluded that Clematidis Radix has inhibiting effects on the proteoglycan degradation in collagenase-induced rat osteoarthritis model.