Synergistic Effect of Herba Epimedium on Repair of Rabbit Subperiosteal Mandibular Defects with Nano-hydroxyapatite/Collagen/Polylactic Acid / 广州中医药大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the influence of Herba Epimedium, a kidney-strengthening Chinese herb, on the regenerate ossification of nano-hydroxyapatite/collagen/ polylactic acid (nHAC/PLA) in the repair of rabbit mandibular defect. Methods Sixteen rabbit models with 10 mm × 8 mm subperiosteal mandibular defect were established. The rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups, namely Herba Epimedium group and control group. In both groups, the left mandibular defect region (short for left side) was not filled with any material, while the right mandibular defect region ( short for right side) was filled with nHAC/PLA. On week 2, 4, 8, 12 after modeling, rabbits in each group were killed, and then the macro-view, imageology and histology of the bilateral mandibles were observed. The data of the regenerate bone areas were calculated and analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) . Results The imageological results showed bone mineral density in the right side of Herba Epimedium group and the control group, and in the left side of Herba Epimedium group were higher than those in the left side of the control group on week 2, 4, 8, 12 after modeling. The histological results showed that the regenerate ossification in the right side of Herba Epimedium group and the control group was superior to that in the left side of the corresponding groups, with more regenerative bone and vessels. In the right side of Herba Epimedium group and the control group, amount of bone-like tissues were grown into nHAC/PLA, and the maturity degree of bone tissue was increased with the prolongation of time. And the changes were more obvious in the right side of Herba Epimedium group, showing as the remaining of nHAC/PLA having been surrounded and replaced by regenerative bone tissue. Regenerative bone area was increased in both sides of Herba Epimedium group, which differed from the same side of the control group (P<0.05) . The differences of the regenerative bone area were also significant between the left side and right side of the same group (P<0.05) . Conclusion Herba Epimedium can effectively accelerate the repair of mandibular defect, and nHAC/PLA is of good biocompatibility, osteoinduction and bone conduction, and can be expected for bone defect repairing in clinic.