Percutaneous Application of Panax notoginseng Extract Improves the Strength of a Healing Ligament

This study compared the effects of Panax notoginseng (PN) extract with a composite herbal application on the healing of medial collateral ligaments (MCL) in rats. Twenty-nine rats receiving surgical tensile rupture to their right MCLs were tested. Ten rats were treated with an alcohol pad application (Group 1), 9 were treated with a composite herbal application (Group 2) and 10 were treated with an alcohol extract of PN to their right knees (Group 3). The treatments were applied percutaneously over the medial side of their right knee with adhesive plaster stabilization. The plaster and medication in all groups was changed every other day throughout the study to maintain moisture of the medication. The MCLs were harvested and tested for the biomechanical properties at 2 weeks after injury. Results revealed that the normalized ultimate tensile strength and structural stiffness of Group 3 were higher than those of Groups 1 and 2 (p=0.029 and 0.062 respectively), whereas Groups 1 and 2 were not different from one another. We conclude that PN extract application improves the mechanical strength of repairing MCLs at 2 weeks after injury. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________