Efficacy of modified Juanbi formula combined with filiform fire needle therapy in treating knee osteoarthritis and its impact on factors related to the NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway
FU Di-wei,ZHAI Hong-hua,SHANG Lin-quan
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the efficacy of modified Juanbi formula combined with filiform fire needle therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and its impact on factors related to the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)/cysteine aspartic protease-1 (Caspase-1) signaling pathway. Methods A total of 120 patients with KOA from December 2023 to March 2025 were selected and randomly assigned to 3 groups, 40 cases in each group. the decoction group was treated with modified Juanbi formula, and the acupuncture group was treated with filiform fire needle therapy, the combined group was treated with modified Juanbi formula combined with filiform fire needle therapy. The efficacy, adverse reactions and quality of life were compared among the three groups, as well as the TCM syndrome scores, visual analogue scale (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC), knee joint mobility, and NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway related factors before and after treatment. Results The total effective rate of the combined group was significantly higher than that of the decoction group and the acupuncture group (P <0.05). After treatment, compared with the decoction group and the acupuncture group, the main symptoms, secondary symptoms, total scores, VAS scores and WOMAC scores of the combined group decreased, and the knee joint activity increased (P <0.05). After treatment, compared with the decoction group and the acupuncture group, the levels of NLRP3, Caspase-1, ASC, IL-1β and IL-18 in the combined group decreased (P <0.05). There were no obvious adverse reactions in the three groups. The quality of life score of the combined group was higher than that of the decoction group and the acupuncture group (P <0.05). The differences in the aforementioned indicators between the decoction group and the acupuncture group were not statistically significant (P >0.05). Conclusion Modified Juanbi formula combined with filiform fire needle therapy in the treatment of KOA patients can improve clinical efficacy, improve clinical symptoms, knee joint function, reduce inflammatory response, improve quality of life, and is safe and reliable, which may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway activation.
