Abstract:

BACKGROUND: The Chinese medicine Diechuang San (DCS) has the property of activating blood circulation and removing stasis, as well as deswelling and alleviating pain, which obtain good outcomes in treating soft tissue injury. Bone fracture and soft tissue injury belong to “tendon trauma” in traditional Chinese medicine.
OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of DCS on experimental fracture healing.
METHODS: A total of 36 male New Zealand white rabbits were prepared for 3-mm fracture bone defects models at the middle of both radiuses. Then those rabbits were separated into model control group and DCS treatment group, which were treated by bandaging and external application of DCS, once two days. Afterwards, the changes of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Ca and P concentrations, histopathology, as well as the X-ray films were observed at 2, 4 and 6 weeks after model preparation.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the model group, the bone defects in the DCS group were filled quickly and the fracture healed earlier. The concentrations of serum ALP, Ca and P were greater in the first 4 weeks (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), which could promote the deposition of calcium in the fracture fragments, and promoted the fracture healing. The stimulated blood vessel was greater than the model group with larger inside diameter, and the ossification centers appeared earlier. Therefore, we presume that DCS may influence the serum ALP, Ca, P concentration changes and promote blood circulation to improve the fracture region such as the promotion of callus growth, and thus achieve the purpose of promoting fracture healing.