Panax Notoginseng Saponins Alleviates Knee Osteoarthritis By Suppressing Intramuscular Inflammation

Reducing proinflammatory markers in the quadriceps muscle of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients is necessary for improvement in performance of daily life activities. The present study explored the effects of panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) on levels of vastus lateralis inflammatory factors in KOA rabbit models. Compared with the sham group, total muscle mass was decreased in the KOA group. In contrast, treatment with PNS increased total muscle weight, indicating the enhancement of muscle force following PNS therapy. Additionally, treatment with PNS significantly decreased knee joint diameter more than that of KOA group. Furthermore, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) indicated that treatment with PNS reduced KOA-induced upregulation of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor a (TNF alpha) in serum and vastus lateralis muscle tissues. These data suggest that local and circulating inflammatory responses could be relieved by PNS treatment. This study also evaluated the effects of PNS on NF-kappa B activation. Compared with the KOA group, treatment of PNS significantly suppressed activation of NF-kappa B p65 subunit. Expression of I kappa B alpha was increased by PNS treatment after 24 weeks. These data suggest an anti-inflammatory role of PNS in the vastus lateralis muscle tissues of KOA rabbits. These findings, for the first time, show the protective role of PNS through suppressing proinflammatory mediators, within the muscle, thereby improving muscle function and gait in knee OA.