Effects of chitosan on rat knee cartilages.
The aim of this work is to study the effects of chitosan on rat knee cartilages. 0.2 ml of 0.1% chitosan solution pH = 6.9 were injected inside rat knees articular cavity. One, three and six weeks after injection, histological and histomorphometric studies were performed on undecalcified samples embedded in polymethylmetacrylate. Results show that after 1 and 6 weeks: (i) chitosan slows significantly (P < 0.005) the decrease in epiphyseal cartilage thicknesses and (ii) increases significantly articular cartilage chondrocyte densities (P < 0.002). However chitosan solution induces a proliferation of fibrous tissue with abundant fibroblasts, fibrocytes and monocytes inside the joint and this proliferation is still present after 6 weeks. This study suggests that chitosan could act on the growth of epiphyseal cartilage and wound healing of articular cartilage.
Lu
J X
JX
Laboratoire de Recherches Orthopédiques, UPRES-A CNRS 7052, Paris, France.
Prudhommeaux
F
F
Meunier
A
A
Sedel
L
L
Guillemin
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan; D004838:Epiphyses / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007596:Joints; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002686:Chitin; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D048271:Chitosan