[Experimental research on substance P content of hypothalamus and dorsal root ganglia in rats with lumbar vertebrae Gucuofeng model].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the effects of lumbar vertebrae Gucuofeng on the substance P content of hypothalamus and dorsal root ganglia in rat models. METHODS: A hundred and twenty SPF level SD male rats with the weight of 350 to 450 g were randomly divided into rotary fixation group (RF group), simple fixation group (SF group) and sham-operation group (Sham group). The external link fixation system was implanted into the L4-L6 of rats in RF group and SF group; and in RF group, that the L5 spinous process was rotated to the right resulted in L4, L5, L6 spinous process not collinear; in SF group, the external link fixation system was simply implanted and not rotated. The rats of Sham group were not implanted the external link fixation system and only open and suture. The substance P content of hypothalamus and dorsal root ganglia were detected at 1, 4, 8, 12 weeks after operation. RESULTS: Substance P content of hypothalamus in RF group and SF group was lower than Sham group at 1, 4, 8 weeks after operation (P<0.05). Substance P content of dorsal root ganglia was higher than Sham group at 1, 4, 8, 12 weeks after operation (P<0.05). There was no significant differences in the substance P content of hypothalamus among three groups at 12 weeks after operation (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Lumbar vertebrae Gucuofeng can inhibit the analgesic activity of substance P in hypothalamus and promote the synthesis and transmission of substance P in dorsal root ganglia, so as to cause or aggravate the pain.

Glucan HBP-A increase type II collagen expression of chondrocytes in vitro and tissue engineered cartilage in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: Although chondroprotective activities have been documented for polysaccharides, the potential target of different polysaccharide may differ. The study was aimed to explore the effect of glucan HBP-A in chondrocyte monolayer culture and chondrocytes-alginate hydrogel constructs in vivo, especially on the expression of type II collagen. METHODS: Chondrocytes isolated from rabbit articular cartilage were cultured and verified by immunocytochemical staining of type II collagen. Chondrocyte viability was assessed after being treated with HBP-A in different concentrations. Morphological status of chondrocytes-alginate hydrogel constructs in vitro was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The constructs were treated with HBP-A and then injected to nude mice subcutaneously. Six weeks after transplantation, the specimens were observed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The mRNA expressions of disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTs-5), aggrecan and type II collagen in both monolayer culture and constructs were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression of type II collagen and matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) in chondrocyte monolayer culture was also tested through Western blot and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. RESULTS: MMP-3 secretion and ADAMTs-5 mRNA expression in vitro were inhibited by HBP-A at 0.3 mg/mL concentration. In morphological study, there were significant appearance of collagen in those constructs treated by HBP-A. Accordingly, in both chondrocyte monolayer culture and chondrocytes-alginate hydrogel constructs, the expression of type II collagen was increased significantly in HBP-A group when compared with control group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study documented that the potential pharmacological target of glucan HBP-A in chondrocytes monolayer culture and tissue engineered cartilage in vivo may be concerned with the inhibition of catabolic enzymes MMP-3, ADAMTs-5, and increasing of type II collagen expression.

[Study on the correlation between "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" and cervical spondylosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relation between "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" and cervical spondylosis. METHODS: From March 2006 to October 2011,333 patients with cervical spondylosis were collected in the study as cervical spondylosis group; 30 subjects of control group come from student of Shuguang Hospital and other health volunteer. There were 119 males and 214 females with a mean age of (48.11 +/- 12.21) years in cervical spondylosis group and there were 6 males and 24 females with a mean age of (45.27 +/- 10.12) years in control group. In aspect of the symptom and sign, dynamic palpation, X-ray examination wer performed to find the incidence rate of "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" in two groups. RESULTS: There was significant difference in symptom and sign, dynamic palpation, X-ray examination between two groups (P<0.01). In cervical spondylosis group, "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" occurred in 293 cases (87.99%),there was significant difference compared with control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Cervical "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" is one of pathological point of cervical spondylosis,and it can provide a guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical spondylosis.

[Clinical application of non-collinear spinous process in the diagnosis of cervical vertebra "Gu Cuo Feng and Jin Chu Cao"].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze value of X-ray in diagnosis of cervical vertebral rotation. METHODS: From May 2010 to June 2011,129 patients with cervical spondylosis were collected and examined by X-ray. Among them, 119 cases were collinear spinous, other 10 cases were excluded with collinear. Of involved patients, 28 cases were male,91 cases were females with an average age of (48.53 +/- 14.32) (ranged, 24 to 65) years. The segments and numbers of vertebral body spinous process which were not centered were recorded, and then CT scan was performed to examine segments of vertebral body and spinous process which were not centered to observe rotation of cervical vertebra and spinous process deviation. The relationship between numbers of spinous not centered and vertebral rotation was statistical analyzed. RESULTS: When the number of spinous not centered ranged from 1 to 6, vertebral rotation rate were 45.45%, 46.67%, 56.86%, 62.07%, 77.14%, 85.19% respectively. CONCLUSION: The more numbers of vertebral spinous process not centered, the more chance of corresponding vertebral rotation.

[Systematic review of clinical randomized controlled trials on manipulative treatment of lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the manipulative treatment on lumbar disc herniation and analyze the current status of clinical studies. METHODS: The PubMed, OVID, Cochrane Library, CBM - disc database, CNKI database and VIP Database were retrieved, and 832 literatures on manipulative treatment for lumbar disc herniation were collected, in which 8 articles met the inclusion criteria. Cochrane systematic review was used to evaluate the quality; and RevMan 4.2 was used for Meta Analysis of Literatures. RESULTS: There were total 911 patients in the 8 articles. The summary OR for the combined cure rate of the 8 articles was 3.65, and the 95% CI was [2.15, 6.20]. The summary OR for the combined efficiency was 3.56, and the 95% CI was [2.35, 5.38]. The cure rate and effective rate of the patients in manipulative group were superior to those of patients treated with other methods such as drugs, traction, acupuncture, microwave thermotherapy (all the methods were called as "other therapies"). CONCLUSION: This study shows that manipulative treatment on lumbar disc herniation is safe, effective, and both cure rate and the effective rate is better than other therapies. But the number of documents is limited and the quality is not very high, and the conclusion is still uncertain, high-quality evidence is needed to be further validated.

[Diagnosis and treatment of intervertebral disc disease based on the theory of "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao"].

It has previously been reported that the incidence rate of intervertebral disc disease including cervical and lumbar vertebra is at the 8th position among the chronic and difficult treated diseases in China. There are great challenges on the improving diagnosis and treatment as well as reducing recrudescence of this degenerative disease. It was well known that the degeneration and bulge or herniatation of intervertebral discs are the main reasons for it, and the treatment for it always focuses on the disc recovery. However, the discrepancy of the effect and expectation indicated that there were other reasons for it. Based on the clinical knowledge of intervertebral discs disease and combined with the cognition of Traditional Chinese Medicine,we proposed that the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc disease was Gucuofeng and Jinchucao, which meant that the improper location of diapophysis and the declined of muscle strength may cause the unstable of spine, unstable spine thus aggravated the semiluxation of diapophysis.

[Epimedium-derived flavonoids prevent ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats independent of its enhancement in intestinal calcium absorption].

OBJECTIVE: To test our hypothesis whether a group of flavonoids (FE) derived from herbal Epimedium exerted its prevention of estrogen-deficiency-induced osteoporosis mainly through an enhancement in intestinal calcium absorption. METHODS: Forty-five 12-month-old female Wistar rats were randomly assigned into one sham-operated group and four ovariectomy (OVX) subgroups, i.e. OVX with vehicle (OVX group), OVX with FE (FE group), OVX with calcium supplement (CS group), and OVX with FE and CS. Daily oral administration of FE (10 mg x kg(-1) x (d(-1)) and/or CS (56 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) started on day 4 after OVX for 12 weeks. Before sacrificing the animals, urine and serum samples were collected for assaying indicators for intestinal calcium absorption, regulator of calcium homeostasis and markers for bone turnover. Then, the left proximal femur was dissected for the primary-end-point index (failure force), and the second-end-point indexes (pQCT-calculated densitometry, geometry and micro-CT-quantified 3-D trabecula microarchitecture), as well as pQCT-defined cross-sectional envelope. RESULTS: FE prevented OVX-induced deterioration in failure force as well as the second-end-point indexes with no increase in uterus weight. CS had no prevention effect on OVX-induced reduction in failure force. Two-way factorial interaction analysis between FE and CS showed that the un-enhanced suppression of parathyroid hormone for calcium homeostasis provided no link between the enhanced intestinal calcium absorption and the enhanced inhibition of bone resorption in the present study. Furthermore, discrepancy between the enhanced intestinal calcium absorption and the un-enhanced primary / second-end-point indexes as well as anabolic effect was also found by the interaction analysis. CONCLUSION: Independent of intestinal calcium absorption, FE inhibited bone resorption, stimulated bone formation and accordingly prevented osteoporosis without hyperplastic effect on uterus in the OVX rat model.

[Control study on analgesic effect of single-point electroacupuncture on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc].

OBJECTIVE: To explore an effective method for electroacupuncture treatment of pain in waist and lower extremities due to prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc. METHODS: All 98 cases of such disease were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 53) and a control group (n = 45). The treatment group were treated with local single-point electroacupuncture stimulation, and the control group with routine electroacupuncture stimulation for 8 sessions. The pain in waist and lower extremities in the two groups were continuously evaluated with short-form of McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ). RESULTS: After first treatment, SF-MPQ scores in the two groups were significantly different from those before treatment (P < 0.001), and there were significant differences between the two groups respectively (P < 0.001) at the each time points. CONCLUSION: Local singly-point electroacupuncture has a better analgesic effect on pain in waist and lower extremities due to prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc.

[Pathogenic factors of blood circulation disturbance in lumbar intervertebral disc herniation and mechanism of Tuina manipulation in promoting circulation].

Tuina manipulation has long been used in the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, although its therapeutic mechanisms remain uncertain. The specific characteristic syndrome of this disease is lumbocrural pain in varying degrees, which is due to mechanical compression, aseptic inflammation, blood circulation disturbance and dystrophy. These factors can act on the involved nerve roots and give rise to nerve conduction disturbance. Since the blood circulation disturbance and nerve roots dystrophy are the most important pathogenic aspects of this disease, the therapeutic effect of Tuina manipulation on lumbar intervertebral disc herniation is related to them directly or indirectly.