Objective: To analysis the effect of Duhuo Jisheng Tang on patella cartilage of chondromalacia of patella and interleukin-1 (IL-1)

metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1)

sulfate glycosaminoglycan (GAG) in patellar joint fluid. Method: The eighty-six cases of patella softening of the patients treated in our hospital were divided into the observation group (43 cases) and the control group (43 cases). The control group was treated with routine western medicines

while the observation group was treated with Duhuo Jisheng Tang for oral administration and local fumigation. The clinical therapeutic effect at all MRI grades of both groups were evaluated;at the same time

before and after the treatment

IL-1

MMP-1

GAG index levels in patients' patellar joint fluid were tested and analyzed. Result: The observation group showed the total effective rate of 88.37%

while the control group was 67.44%

with a statistically significant difference between both groups (P<0.05). In the observation group and the control group

patients with articular cartilage damage grade I and grade Ⅱ according to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the total clinical effective rate higher than those with articular cartilage damage grade level Ⅲ and Ⅳ (P<0.05). After the treatment

the experiment group shower lower IL-1

MMP 1 indexes in joint fluid than that of the control group (P<0.05)

but with the average GAG index higher than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Duhuo Jisheng Tang shows a better clinical curative effect than conventional western medicines in the treatment of chondromalacia of patella. It may recover and protect patella cartilage by regulating the expression of IL-1 in patellar joint fluid and inhibiting the activation of MMP-1 and the degradation of cartilage proteoglycan. At the same time

articular cartilage damage grade class I and class Ⅱ period according to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the best period for clinical treatment.