Action Mechanisms of Du-Huo-Ji-Sheng-Tang on Cartilage Degradation in a Rabbit Model of Osteoarthritis

Table 1

Criteria (grading) for histologic evaluation.

Score	Structure	Chondrocyte loss	Safranin O-fast green staining	Tidemark integrity
0	Normal	No decrease in cells	Uniform staining throughout articular cartilage	Intact
1	Surface irregularities	minimal Decrease in cells	Loss of staining in the superficial zone for less than one-half of the length of the condyle or plateau	Crossed by blood vessels
2	>3 superficial clefts	Moderate decrease in cells	Loss of staining in the superficial zone for one-half or more of the length of the condyle or plateau
3	1–3 superficial clefts	Marked decrease in cells	Loss of staining in the superficial and middle zones for less than one-half of the length of the condyle or plateau
4	1–3 clefts extending into the middle zone	very extensive decrease in cells	Loss of staining in the superficial and middle zones for one-half or more of the length of the condyle or plateau
5	1–3 clefts extending into the deep zone		Loss of staining in all three zones for less than one-half of the length of the condyle or plateau
6	Clefts extending to calcified cartilage		Loss of staining in all three zones for one-half or more of the length of the condyle or plateau