The effect of sodium heparin on equine articular cartilage

This study compared the effect of sodium heparin and gentamicin sulphate on equine articular cartilage (AC) explants in order to investigate the possi ble use of sodium heparin in the treatment of infectious arthritis. Six con centrations of sodium heparin and gentamicin sulphate were tested. The supe rnatant and explant digest were assayed for glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content with the dimethyl-methylene blue assay and the per cent loss of GAG was ca lculated. A significant (P < 0.001) increase in percentage GAG loss was not ed for the sodium heparin groups when compared to the control, whilst no si gnificant increase was found among the treatment groups (P= 0.782). For gen tamicin, no significant difference in percentage GAG loss was found between the control and three of the five treatment groups (P= 0.667). The percent age GAG loss in the sodium heparin treated AC explants was greater than for any of the gentamicin-treated AC explants. It can be concluded that sodium heparin sulphate stimulates an increase in GAG release from equine articul ar cartilage explants, though no firm conclusions can be drawn on its use i n treating equine infectious arthritis. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.