Table 2.

Joint tissue pathology scores

Treatment no. of animals	Normal 6 (× 3)	Vehicle 6 (× 3)	HC 6 (× 3)	TC 6 (× 3)	TG-C 6 (× 3)
Structural change in the joint
Surface irregularities
1	2/18	3/18	0/18	5/18	7/18
2	0/18	4/18	1/18	2/18	4/18
3	0/18	10/18	14/18	6/18	4/18
Average pathology score	0.11	2.28	2.44	1.50	1.50
Ulceration
1	1/18	3/18	3/18	8/18	7/18
2	0/18	8/18	7/18	6/18	6/18
3	0/18	7/18	7/18	3/18	0/18
Average pathology score	0.05	2.22	2.11	1.61	1.06
Fibrillation of cartilage surface
1	0/18	3/18	3/18	1/18	3/18
2	0/18	2/18	6/18	6/18	5/18
3	0/18	7/18	5/18	6/18	1/18
Average pathology score	0	1.56	1.67	1.72	0.89
Disorganization of chondrocytes
1	1/18	1/18	7/18	9/18	6/18
2	0/18	10/18	5/18	8/18	7/18
3	0/18	5/18	4/18	0/18	0/18
Average pathology score	0.05	2.00	1.61	1.39	1.11
Exposure of subchondral bone
1	0/18	7/18	6/18	4/18	6/18
2	0/18	1/18	0/18	4/18	1/18
3	0/18	8/18	8/18	0/18	0/18
Average pathology score	0	1.83	1.67	0.67	0.44
Cellular changes of chondrocyte
H&E staining
1	2/18	7/18	6/18	9/18	9/18
2	0/18	2/18	3/18	4/18	1/18
3	0/18	4/18	3/18	1/18	2/18
Average pathology score	0.11	1.28	1.17	1.11	0.94
Degeneration/necrosis
1	0/18	3/18	2/18	5/18	6/18
2	0/18	4/18	8/18	5/18	4/18
3	0/18	11/18	8/18	5/18	0/18
Average pathology score	0	2.44	2.33	1.67	0.78
H&E staining
Reduction of staining in cartilage
1	0/18	5/18	4/18	10/18	10/18
2	0/18	5/18	5/18	5/18	2/18
3	0/18	6/18	7/18	1/18	0/18
Average pathology score	0	1.83	1.94	1.28	0.78
Total pathology score	0.33 ± 0.26	15.44 ± 1.94	14.94 ± 1.88	10.94 ± 1.75	7.5 ± 1.57

0: normal 1: slight, 2: moderate, 3: severe