Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026
A Reproducible Cartilage Impact Model to Generate Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis in the Rabbit
Published on: November 21, 2023
Chondroprotective effects of pulsed shortwave therapy in rabbits with experimental osteoarthritis
Rodica Ana Ungur1, Adrian Florea, Alexandru Flaviu Tăbăran
1"Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; onac.ioan@yahoo.com.
Introduction:
Osteoarthritis (OA) represents a public health challenge since the pathogenic treatment, able to induce cartilage regeneration, still remains unknown. Ageing of the population and increasing OA prevalence have led to a lot of research, aiming to identify treatments acting on chondrocytes that play a determinant role in cartilage degeneration÷regeneration balance. Pulsed shortwave therapy (with the classical application form - Diapulse) is a physiotherapy method with anabolic effects demonstrated on nervous, conjunctive and vascular tissues, but its effects on OA cartilage are not known.
Aim:
Our aim was to demonstrate the effects of Diapulse on the cartilage in experimental induced OA.
Materials And Methods:
Experimental OA was induced in 10 mature female rabbits by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT). Ten weeks after ACLT, rabbits were randomized in a treatment group and a control group. Treatment group was exposed to Diapulse at a frequency of 27.12 MHz, pulse length of 65 μs, pulse frequency of 300 pulses÷s (300 Hz) for 10 minutes÷day. Control group was exposed to sham therapy. After treatment, rabbits were sacrificed and the cartilage was evaluated by histopathological examinations with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Results:
OA characteristic changes were found in both groups. In the treatment group, we found that Diapulse influenced the degenerative process in the OA cartilage by improving the chondrocyte viability and the capacity to maintain cellular matrix integrity and structure.
Conclusions:
Diapulse can be considered a disease modifying therapeutic procedure and could be a reliable option for treatment of OA patients.
Insights
Pulsed shortwave therapy, known as Diapulse, shows promise in treating osteoarthritis (OA) by improving chondrocyte viability and cartilage structure. This disease-modifying therapy offers a potential new treatment option for OA patients.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Orthopedics
- Regenerative Medicine
Background:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is a significant public health concern with no current cartilage-regenerating treatments.
- Aging populations and increasing OA prevalence drive research into chondrocyte-targeted therapies.
- Pulsed shortwave therapy (Diapulse) has shown anabolic effects on various tissues, but its impact on OA cartilage is unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Diapulse on cartilage in a rabbit model of experimentally induced osteoarthritis (OA).
- To evaluate Diapulse's potential as a disease-modifying therapeutic for OA.
Main Methods:
- Experimental OA was induced in mature female rabbits via anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT).
- After 10 weeks, rabbits were randomized into Diapulse treatment or sham therapy groups.
- Cartilage was histopathologically examined using Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Main Results:
- Osteoarthritis characteristic changes were observed in both treatment and control groups.
- Diapulse treatment positively influenced the degenerative process in OA cartilage.
- Improvements noted include enhanced chondrocyte viability and better maintenance of cellular matrix integrity and structure.
Conclusions:
- Diapulse demonstrates potential as a disease-modifying therapeutic for osteoarthritis.
- This therapy could represent a reliable treatment option for individuals suffering from OA.
