Radix Dipsaci does not improve tendon healing in a rat model of patellar tendon donor site injury.
OBJECTIVE
To explore whether Radix Dipsaci (RD) exhibits beneficial effects on tendon healing.


METHODS
An attempt was made to explore the in vitro effects of a hot water extract of RD on gene expression of procollagen Type I (COL1A1), procollagen Type III (COL3A1) and decorin in cultured tendon fibroblasts, and its in vivo effects in a well-established rat model of patellar tendon donor site injury.


RESULTS
It was found that gene expression of COL3A1 and decorin in cultured tendon fibroblasts was significantly increased by RD, but that COL1A1 was not affected. In vivo studies showed that RD increased blood vessels in the wound but did not significantly affect the expression of COL1A1, COL3A1 and decorin at day 14 post-injury. The ultimate tensile stress of the healing tendon was not significantly improved by either local injection or oral administration of hot water extract of RD (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings imply that RD per se does not significantly improve tendon healing. Further investigation of RD in a herbal formula may be necessary to test its efficacy in tendon injuries.
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, China. kaimingchan@cuhk.edu.hk
Kai-ming
KM
Chan
Sai-chuen
SC
Fu
Wun-chun
WC
Hui
Lai-shan
LS
Chan
Yun-feng
YF
Rui
Ling
L
Qin
Leung-kim
LK
Hung
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D024061:Collagen Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D058575:Decorin / Q000378:metabolism; D049917:Dipsacaceae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000187:drug effects / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D024042:Collagen Type I; D000090602:Collagen Type I, alpha 1 Chain; D024061:Collagen Type III; C546880:Dcn protein, rat; D058575:Decorin; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal