Abstract
A multipotent enzyme inhibitor, ulinastatin, was tested for the effect on osteoarthritis (OA) induced by a partial lateral meniscectomy combined with section of the fibular collateral and sesamoid ligaments in knee joints of rabbits. In the control group, treatd with human serum albumin, histopathological oganges quite similar to those in human OA were observed both in the tibial and the femoral cartilage. In addition, biochemical changes such as decrease in keratan sulfate content and increase in collagenase activity were observed in the meniscus and the synovial fluid, respectively. These changes were markedly suppressed by intraarticular injection of ulinastatin at 30 or 300 units/site, given semiweekly for seven weeksf starting from one week after the surgical induction o, OA. These results suggest that ulinastatin is expected to be useful treatment of OA.
