Clinical study of Jintiange capsules in the prevention and treatment of the knee osteoarthritis via P38-MAPK signal pathway.

Objective By observing the change in P38-MAPK signal pathway and score of clinical manifestations, to investigate the mechanism of Jintiange capsules in the prevention and treatment of the knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods Seventy-eight patients with KOA, who conformed to the diagnosis criteria and including criteria, were selected and randomly divided into two groups; intervention group and control group. Patients in intervention group were treated with Jintiange capsules for 12 weeks, while patients in control group were treated with alendronate sodium for 12 weeks, The scores of KOA clinical manifestation were documented before and after the treatment. The changes of MKK4. P38α, P38-γ, and MMP13 mRNA were detected using real-time PCR. Results The total effective rate in intervention group was 76. 92%, while the total effective rate in control group was 58. 97%. The difference between the two groups was significant (P < 0.05). Before the treatment, the VAS score in two groups was 6. 20 ± 1.71 and 6.27 ± 1.86, respectively. And there was no difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). After the treatment, the VAS score in both groups declined. After 1-week treatment, no significant differenct of the VAS score between the two groups was observed (P > 0.05). But after 4-week and 12-week treatment, the VAS score in intervention group was significant lower than that in control group (P < 0.05). Before the treatment, the indexes of P38-MAPK signal pathway and the MMP-13 mRNA increased in KOA patients. After the treatment, the changes of P38α and MMP13 mRNA decreased significantly compared with that before the treatment (P < 0.05). However, the expression of MKK4 and P38α showed no significant difference compared with that before the treatment (P > 0.05). Conclusion Jintiange capsules exert clear effect in the treatment of KOA regulating P3S-MAPK signal pathway and by reducing the expression of MMP-13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]