Objective: To investigate the effect of Tonglou Shenggu Capsule for restoring the full-thickness articular cartilage defect in rabbit.Method: The model was established by drilling an articular cartilage defect of 5 mm in depth and 4 mm in diameter in the trochlea groove of the right femoral of New Zealand rabbits.Fifty rabbits were divided into five groups: model group

positive treatment group（Compound Danshen Tablet group） and three dosage groups of Tonglou Shenggu Capsule（low dose

middle dose and high dose）.Postoperativelly

the positive treatment group was lavaged with Compound Danshen Tablet

0.36 g.kg-1.d-1;the low dose group

middle dose group and high dose group were lavaged with Tonglou Shenggu Capsule of 2

4 and 8 g.kg-1 respectively;the model group was not given any medicine.All rabbits were sacrificed at twelve weeks after operation.The distal femoral portion was studied histologically using hematoxylin and eosin

toluidine blue

picric acid-Sirius red staining

and ultra-structure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy.Repairing tissues were analyzed using Wakitani’ grading scale.Result: The full-thickness defects in rabbits could not restore by itself.The Compound Danshen Tablet could help the defects to restore

there were fibrocartilage cells and hyaline cartilage cells in the repairing tissues.Type I and type II collagens were found in the repairing tissues.Tonglou Shenggu Capsule could prompt the restoration of the defects.The major components are hyaline cartilage cells and type Ⅱ collagen.The quality of restoring was related with dosage.The restoring in high dose group was the best

but still different from the normal hyaline cartilage.Conclusion: Tonglou Shenggu Capsule could promote bone marrow mesenchymal cell to restore articular cartilage defect.