Objective To access the protective effects of glucosamine hydrochloride capsules (OTL) on articular cartilage in osteoarthritis of rabbit. Methods Thirty-six New Zealand white rabbits were divided randomly into three groups (n=12): sham group (group A), anterior cruciate l igament transection (ACLT)/normal sal ine group (group B), and ACLT/ OTL group (group C). Rabbits in groups B, C received ACLT on the right knee. Rabbits in group A were not given ACLT ascontrol. Group C received a daily administration of OTL at a dose of 150 mg/kg of body weight for 12 weeks; in contrast, group B received normal sal ine at the same dose. All rabbits were sacrificed after 12 weeks. The right femoral condyle were removed and observed at pathologic changes with HE staining and graded by Mankin’s scale, the expression level of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) were detected by immunohistochemical staining. Results All rabbits survived at the end of experiment and incision healed well. The gross observation showed that joint synovia increased and articular surface was smooth and integrity in group A; that ulcer was observed on the articular surface of group B; and that articular surface was smooth and integrity in group C. There were sigificant differences in articular cartilage scores between 3 groups (P lt; 0.05). The histological observation showed that the articular cartilage had normal structure and the cells arranged regularly in group A; that the articular cartilage became thin and the cells arranged irregularly in group B; and that the cells arranged with a clear layer and had regular shape in group C. The Mankin scores were 1.04 ± 0.13, 7.97 ± 0.12, and 2.81 ± 0.36 in groups A, B, and C, respectively; showing significant difference between 3 groups (P lt; 0.05). The result of immunohistochemistry showed that the expressions of TGF-β1 were 50.62 ± 1.51, 24.81 ± 1.28, and 41.57 ± 1.69 and the expressions of IL-1β were 13.12 ± 1.21, 62.53 ±2.37, and 30.67 ± 1.28; showing significant differences between 3 groups (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion A daily administration ofOTL at a dose of 150 mg/kg for 12 weeks can partially decrease the expression levels of IL-1β and increase the expression levels of TGF-β1, which delays the development of osteoarthritis.
Objective To observe the treatment efficacy and safety of glucosamine hydrochloride tablets on uremia patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods A total of 118 uremia patients with knee OA were selected and randomly divided into the glucosamine hydrochloride tablets treatment group (treatment group) and the coated aldehyde oxystarch capsules group (control group) with 59 cases in each group. The course was 8 weeks. The Lequesne Index was assessed for curative effect evaluation, and the change of blood indexes was observed to evaluate drug safety. Results The total effective rate of Lequesne Index in the treatment group was 72.9%, while that in the control group was 13.6%; the difference was statistically significant (χ2=42.303, P<0.001). There was no significant change in the two groups before and after treatment in terms of the patients’ dialysis adequacy, routine blood, blood electrolytes, liver and kidney function (P>0.05). Conclusion Glucosamine hydrochloride tablets is curative and safe in the treatment of uremia patients with OA.
ObjectiveTo observe the effectiveness of oral glucosamine hydrochloride and cupping therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. MethodsA total of 113 patients treated from February 2013 to February 2015 were randomly divided into three groups. All the three groups of patients underwent conventional treatment. The Cupping treatment group had 39 patients; 37 patients were treated with oral glucosamine hydrochloride, and another 37 patients accepted combined treatments of cupping therapy with oral glucosamine hydrochloride. Six weeks after treatment, pain degree of the patients and Lequesne index were used to assess the clinical efficacy of the treatments. Patients who had oral glucosamine hydrochloride underwent routine examinations of blood and urine, and received liver and kidney examinations. One year later, telephone follow-up was conducted to observe long-term efficacy. ResultsSix weeks after treatment, the combined treatment group was significantly better than the other two groups in terms of pain relief degree and effective rate (P ＜ 0.05) . One year after treatment, the combined treatment group and the oral treatmentgroup had a significant advantage over the cupping treatment group (P ＜ 0.05) , while there was no significant difference between the combined treatment group and oral treatment group. ConclusionsThe combined oral glucosamine hydrochloride and cupping therapy has an obvious short-term efficacy, which quickly relieves pain and improves the activity function of the knee. Oral glucosamine hydrochloride has a very good effect in the long-term treatment of osteoarthritis.
ObjectiveTo assess the therapeutic effect of arthroscopic microfracture surgery combined with oral glucosamine hydrochloride on osteochondritis dissecans of the knee. MethodsBetween January 2014 and June 2015, 24 patients with osteochondritis dissecans of the knee ready to undergo arthroscopic microfracture surgery were divided into experimental group (odd surgery sequence numbers) treated with arthroscopic microfracture surgery combined with oral glucosamine hydrochloride (480 mg/time, 3 times per day, from the first day to 3 months after the surgery) and control group (even surgery sequence numbers) treated with arthroscopic microfracture surgery. All the patients were discharged from the hospital after one week of rehabilitation exercises with rehabilitation equipment of lower extremity. Follow-up lasted for at least 6 months. The therapeutic effects of the two methods were assessed according to Tegner scores for motor function of knee joint and United States New York specialty surgical hospital (HSS) scores. ResultsThe symptoms of knee joint was alleviated significantly after the operation. The function of knee joint was improved significantly after 6 weeks. Tegner and HSS scores before surgery were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). The Tegner scores were not significantly different between the two groups 6 weeks after surgery (P>0.05). The difference of Tegner scores were statistically significant between the two groups 12 and 24 weeks after surgery (P<0.05), and HSS scores of the experimental group improved better than the control group 6, 12 and 24 weeks after surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). ConclusionThe short-term effect of arthroscopic microfracture surgery combined with oral glucosamine hydrochloride is better than that of arthroscopic microfracture surgery in the treatment of osteochondritis dissecans of the knee.
ObjectiveTo study the clinical effect of the combination of glucosamine hydrochloride with exercise therapy and traditional Chinese medicine hot compress in the treatment of early patellofemoral osteoarthritis. MethodsA total of 126 patients with early patellofemoral osteoarthritis treated between June 2013 and April 2015 were divided into group A (n=43), B (n=42) and C (n=41) with the method of random number table. Oral administration of glucosamine hydrochloride tablets, exercise therapy of knee joints and traditional Chinese medicine hot compress were applied for the 43 patients in group A. Oral administration of glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and exercise therapy of knee joints were applied for the 42 patients in group B. Exercise therapy of knee joints and traditional Chinese medicine hot compress were applied for the 41 patients in group C. Chen's Scoring was applied before the treatment and 2, 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment. ResultsThe differences of Chen's scores at the time points after treatment and those before treatment of the same group had statistical significance (P<0.05). The differences of Chen's scores at the time points after treatment in group A and those in group B and C had statistical significance (P<0.05). There were no obvious adverse effects due to administration of glucosamine hydrochloride tablets in group A and B. Five patients in group A and 4 patients in group C suffered from the symptoms of local erythema, light cutaneous pruritus and other contact dermatitis after traditional Chinese medicine hot compress. Those symptoms disappeared automatically several hours later without any special treatment. ConclusionThe treatment of early patellofemoral osteoarthritis by the combination of glucosamine hydrochloride tablets with exercise therapy and traditional Chinese medicine hot compress can rapidly relieve joint pain, and maintain efficacy for a long time.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of glucosamine hydrochloride tablets in treating knee cartilage injury resulting from rheumatoid arthritis. MethodsWe selected 200 knee cartilage injury patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated in our hospital from January 2011 to January 2015 as the research subjects. They were divided into control group (n=98) and observation group (n=102) according to the time of admission. The control group was treated with conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), while the observation group was treated with glucosamine hydrochloride tablets on the basis of DMARDs. The treatment effect was evaluated and compared between the two groups of patients 18, 36 and 54 weeks after the treatment. ResultsFifty-four weeks later, knee pain score of the observation group was better than that of the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05) . The observation group had a lower Noyes evaluation level than the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05) . Adverse reaction in the observation group was 3.92% and it was 3.06% in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05) . ConclusionGlucosamine hydrochloride tablets combined with conventional anti-rheumatic treatment is effective for knee cartilage injury caused by rheumatoid arthritis, which can promote cartilage repair, and it is worthy of clinical application.
ObjectiveTo analyze the clinical efficacy of glucosamine hydrochloride in the treatment of lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis, in order to provide the most appropriate treatment for lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis. MethodsA total of 120 patients with lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis and low back pain treated between August 2014 and August 2015 were randomly divided into three groups with 40 in each. Group A was treated with glucosamine hydrochloride; group B accepted loxoprofen-sodium; and group C was given glucosamine hydrochloride plus loxoprofen-sodium. The courses of treatment were all 8 weeks in the three groups. Follow-up lasted for 16 weeks. Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue score (VAS) of the patients were compared before treatment, 8 weeks after treatment, and 8 weeks after withdrawal. ResultsThree patients in group B gave up treatment due to upper gastrointestinal moderate pain after taking the drug. Another 12 patients in group B suffered from upper gastrointestinal mild discomfort, and the symptoms alleviated after accepting symptomatic treatment. There were no drug-related adverse reactions in group A and C. A total of 117 patients completed the 8-week treatment and were all followed up. Before treatment, the ODI scores and VAS scores were not significantly different among the groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the scores changed significantly in all the groups (P<0.05). At week 8 after treatment, the clinical efficacy in group B and C was superior to that in group A, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between group B and C (P>0.05). Eight weeks after withdrawal, the clinical efficacy in group A and C was better than that in group B, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between group A and C (P>0.05). ConclusionGlucosamine hydrochloride is effective for low back pain caused by lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis, which has no non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-related complications. It is worthy of clinical application.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of combined traditional Chinese and Western medicine in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). MethodsA total of 180 KOA patients treated between January 2012 and June 2015 were randomly assigned to 3 groups: Chinese medicine group (group A, n=60) with acupuncture and irradiation therapy of specific electromagnetic wave therapeutic apparatus , western medicine group (group B, n=60) with oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity injection of sodium hyaluronate, and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine group (group C, n=60) with treatments combining those in both group A and B. The treatment course was 6 weeks. The Western Ontario & McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index score and total effective rate were evaluated before treatment and 2 weeks after treatment, end of treatment and 5 months after treatment. ResultsAfter treatment, the average improvement of WOMAC scores in the three groups was significantly different (P ＜ 0.05) . The total effective rate was 78.33% in group A, 83.33% in group B, and 91.67% in group C. The difference of total effective rate between group C and A, and between group C and B was statistically significant (P＜0.05) ; and it was also statistically significant between group A and B (P ＜ 0.05) . There were two cases of adverse reactions in group A, two in group B, and two in group C, and the reactions were all relatively mild without any serious adverse events. ConclusionsChinese medicine and western medicine are both effective and safe for the treatment of KOA. When they are combined, the effect is further enhanced with no increase of adverse reactions.
ObjectiveTo discuss the efficacy and safety of the joint application of oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity ozone injection in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. MethodsFrom January 2014 to January 2015, 72 patients who matched the criteria of moderate knee osteoarthritis were randomly divided into two groups according to the table of random number: oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablet and knee joint cavity ozone injection group (group G+O) and ozone group (group O). Patients of group G+O orally took glucosamine hydrochloride tablets (0.48 g, 3 times/day) for twelve weeks, and ozone was injected into the patients’ knee joint once a week for the first four weeks. The treatment for group O patients was the same with Group G+O, except that the glucosamine hydrochloride tablets were replaced by glucosamine hydrochloride placebo (2 tablets, 3 times/day, taking orally). We recorded the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, Western Ontario & McMaster University (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index score and the adverse reactions before treatment and in the first, third and sixth month after treatment. ResultsPatients’ VAS scores and WOMAC scores of both the two groups in the first, third and sixth month after treatment were significantly different from those before the treatment (P ＜ 0.05) . In the first month after treatment, there were no significant difference in patients’ VAS scores and WOMAC scores between the two groups (P ＞ 0.05) . In the third and sixth month after treatment, there were significant differences in patients’ VAS scores and WOMAC scores between the two groups (P ＜ 0.05) . There was no obvious adverse reactions during the treatment. ConclusionsThe combined application of oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity ozone injection and the ozone treatment for moderate knee osteoarthritis are both effective, without any adverse reaction. The combined treatment of oral glucosamine hydrochloride tablets and knee joint cavity ozone injection on moderate knee osteoarthritis has better long-term efficacy, and it is worth spreading.
ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of glucosamine hydrochloride on chronic lumbago and backache. MethodsWe selected 328 outpatients with chronic lumbago and backache diagnosed between May 2014 and May 2015, and randomly (with single blind method) divided them into study group (n=172) and control group (n=156). Patients in the control group were treated with ibuprofen and placebo, while those in the study group were treated with ibuprofen and glucosamine hydrochloride. The short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was used for investigation at three time points (before the treatment, one month and two months after the treatment). ResultsThe score of SF-MPQ in the study group was 64.34±23.35 before the treatment, 44.04±13.22 one month after the treatment, and 19.87±8.11 two months after the treatment. While in the control group, the results at those three time points were 65.19±24.12, 47.04±11.36, and 54.44±21.39, respectively. There was no obvious difference between the two groups one month after the treatment (P>0.05). The pain was alleviated in both of the two groups one month after the treatment, while the therapeutic effect in the study group was significantly better than that in the control group two months after the treatment (P<0.05). Archenteric complications were found in 3 patients (1.74%) in the study group and 2 (1.28%) in the control group without a significant difference (P>0.05). ConclusionGlucosamine hydrochloride may effectively alleviate the lumbago and backache without any obvious adverse reactions.