Objective,2,To explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Shi’s Diaoshang Ointment on improving synovitis in knee osteoarthritis （KOA）.,Methods,2,Forty male New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， an experimental group （Shi’s Diaoshang Ointment group） and a control group （compound Zijing Xiaoshang Ointment group）， with 10 rabbits in each group. The rabbits in the blank group were fed normally， and the rabbits in the other three groups were injected with a mixed solution of 4% papain and 0.03 mol/L L-cysteine （2∶1） at a dosage of 0.2 mL/kg on the 1st， 4th， 7th and 12th day respectively to make the synovitis model of the knee joint. After the model was successfully prepared， the rabbits were depilated around the right lower limb knee joint. In the experimental group： a 3 cm × 6 cm gauze was smeared with 2 mm thickness of Diaoshang Ointment and applied to the affected joints； In the control group： Compound Zijing Xiaoshang Ointment was cut into 3 cm × 6 cm pieces and applied to the affected joints； In the model group： a 3 cm × 6 cm gauze was coated with 2 mm thickness of Vaseline and applied to the affected joints； In the blank group： A medical gauze of the same size was applied to the corresponding joint， and then eight-character winding was used to wrap the joint with medical adhesive tape. The dressing was routinely applied for 5 hours every day for 14 consecutive days. The skin temperature of the right knee of experimental rabbits was monitored regularly during intervention. The inflammatory factors ［tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， prostaglandin E,2, （PGE,2,）］ in knee synovial fluid of rabbits were detected after 14 days of intervention. The pathological changes of synovial tissue were observed by HE staining， and the content of aquaporin-1 and 4 （AQP1， AQP4） was detected by immunofluorescence. Some rabbit knee joints were observed via nuclear magnetic resonance imaging （MRI）.,Results,2,The ointment used in the experimental group was superior to compound Zijing Xiaoshang Ointment used in the control group in improving the time-effect relationship of knee skin temperature in synovitis rabbits. There was no significant difference in levels of TNF-α， IL-1β， PGE,2, in synovial fluid between the experimental group and the control group （,P,>,0.05）. There were significant differences in HE staining scores of pathological sections of synovium obtained from rabbits’ affected joints in four groups （,P,<,0.05）. After intervention， the content of AQP1 and AQP4 in synovium decreased significantly； The differences in the content of AQP1 and AQP4 were significant between the control group and the model group and also between the experimental group and the model group （,P,<,0.05）； There was no significant difference in the content of AQP1 between the control group and the blank group （,P,>,0.05）； There was no significant difference in the content of AQP4 between the experimental group and the control group （,P,>,0.05）. The articular cavity effusion in MRI images was less in the experimental group than that in other groups.,Conclusions,2,Shi’s Diaoshang Ointment had better time-effect relationship of improving skin temperature of affected knees of synovitis rabbits than compound Zijing Xiaoshang Ointment used in the control group. Shi’s Diaoshang Ointment can improve synovitis in KOA by improving skin temperature， reducing the expression of inflammatory factors in synovial fluid， lowering the content of AQP1 and AQP4 in synovial tissue of model rabbits， and reducing articular cavity effusion.