Effects of sacral canal injection on nerve root local inflammatory factors in rat model with lumbar disc herniation / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of sacral canal injection on nerve root local inflammatory factors in rat model with lumbar disc herniation, in order to identify its mechanism of treatment.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group(group A), model group (group B), Chinese medicine group(group C) and western medicine group(group D). There were 12 rats in each group. The model of lumbar disc herniation was established using compression and inflammatory stimulation in group B, C, D. All rats were given epidural catheterization and group A and B with physiological saline (1 ml/kg), group C with mixed liquor of 2% lidocaine and compound Danshen injections and physiological saline (2:2: 16) and group D with mixed liquor of 2% lidocaine and triamcinolone acetonide injection and physiological saline (2:2:16), once a week for a total of three treatments. Four rats were killed every 1 week after injection for once, and the inflammatory factors of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-l (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected by ELISA method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of TNF-alpha, PGE2, IL-1 and IL-6 in compressed nerve tissues in group B were increased than those of group A (P < 0.01). The levels of PGE2, IL-1 and IL-6 in group C and D were decreased than those of group B, and group D was much less(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in level of TNF-alpha among group B, C, D (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compound compression with inflammatory stimulation can lead to massive release of inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-alpha, PGE2, IL-1 and IL-6. Both injection with compound Danshen injections and triamcinolone acetonide injections by sacral canal can reduce the levels of part inflammatory mediators (PGE2, IL-1 and IL-6), and the effect of Glucocorticoid is better than Danshen (P < 0.05).</p>

Observation on therapeutic effect of the third lumbar transverse process syndrome treated with acupotomy and blood pricking therapy / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the better treatment for the third lumbar transverse process syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety cases were randomly divided into an acupotomy group, a blood pricking group and a combined therapy group, thirty cases in each group. In acupotomy group, three points such as the third lumbar transverse process point were released with acupotomy, and then Tuina was applied. In blood pricking group, blood pricking therapy was applied at Qihaishu (BL 24) or Weizhong (BL 40). In combined therapy group, both of releasing with acupotomy and blood pricking were applied. The therapeutic effects of three groups were evaluated by of simplified Chinese version of the Oswestry Disability Index (SCODI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before, immediately after treatment and 1 week after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, compared with scores sofore treatment, VAS scores were all reduced (both P < 0.05), and it in combined therapy group was lower than those in other groups (both P < 0.05); SCODI scores showed no significant differences in groups (both P > 0.05) except in combined therapy group (P<0. 05). One week after treatment, compared with scores immediately after treatment, SCODI scores and VAS scores were reduced in each group (all P < 0.05), and the scores in combined therapy group were lower than those in other two groups (both P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Releasing with acupotomy and blood pricking are the effective therapies for the third lumbar transverse process syndrome, can remarkably relieve the pain and improve movement function of lumbus, and the therapeutic effect is more obvious.</p>

Effect of Shengmaisan on learning and memory abilities and hippocampal nitric oxide synthase expression and neuronal apoptosis in rats with vascular dementia / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Shengmaisan on the learning and memory abilities and the expression of nitric oxide synthase and neuron apoptosis in the hippocampus of rats with vascular dementia (VD), and explore the mechanism of Shengmaisan for treatment of VD.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Wistar rats were divided randomly in to normal control group, sham-operated group, VD model group, high-dose Shengmaisan group, low-dose Shengmaisan group, and nimodipine group. In the latter 4 groups, bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) was performed to establish rat models of VD followed by intragastric administration of Shengmaisan at 10 or 30 g.kg(-1).day(-1) or nimodipine at 20 g.kg(-1).day(-1) accordingly. The rats in the control, sham-operated and model groups were given saline in the same manner. The improvement of learning and memory abilities of the rats was assessed using Morris water maze test, and NOS activity and neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus were determined after the treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The learning and memory ability and hippocampal NOS activity and neuronal apoptosis in low-dose Shengmaisan group and nimodipine group were significantly different from those in the VD model group (P<0.01), but no significant differences were found between high-dose Shengmaisan group and nimodipine group (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Shengmaisan can significantly improve the learning and memory abilities of VD rats but may not be able to totally reverse the damage. The therapeutic effect of Shengmaisan might be related to its effect in decreasing NOS activity and inhibiting neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus.</p>