Effect of anti-hyperosteogeny capsule combined with glucosamine hydrochloride capsule and gene therapy on the contents of interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha in degenerated cervical intervertebral discs of rabbits

Fucheng LIU; Xiaoyong ZHAO; Haitao WANG; Jiangning SU; Xilong SUN

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Degenerated cervical intervertebral discs can release many kinds of cytokines and inflammatory mediums, which plays an important role in onset and development of cervical syndrome.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the effect of anti-cytokine Chinese herb combined with western drug (anti-hyperosteogeny capsule combined with glucosamine hydrochloride capsule) and gene therapy, on the contents of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) of degenerated cervical intervertebral discs in rabbits.

DESIGN:

Randomized controlled observation.

SETTING:

Department of Orthopaedics and Central Laboratory of Hebei People's Hospital.MATERIALS The experiment was carried out in the Central Laboratory of Hebei People's Hospital from March 2003 to January 2004. A total of 35 New Zealand rabbits of both genders were selected and divided into 7groups according to randomly digital table normal control group, shallowlayer model group, whole-layer model group, shallow-layer medicine group,whole-layer medicine group, shallow-layer gene group and whole-layer gene group. There were 5 rabbits in each group.

METHODS:

Except normal control group, rabbits in other 6 groups were used to establish models of dynamic dysequilibrium of cervical vertebra through cutting muscles of cervical back to induce degeneration of cervical intervertebral discs. Superficial group of muscle in cervical region was resected in shallow-layer groups, and both superficial and deep group of muscle was resected in whole-layer groups. ① Seven months after operation, rabbits in medicine groups were respectively treated with 1.1 g/kg anti-hyperosteogeny capsule (consisting of gouji, gusuibu, jixueteng, laifuzi,niuxi, nvzhenzi, roucongrong, shudihuang and yinyanghuo, etc.; Jiangsu Kangyuan Pharmaceutical Company Limited) and 0.06 g/kg glucosamine (Shanxi Zhongyuanwei Pharmaceutical Company Limited), which was dissolved into 20 mL distilled water. The medicine was administrated twice a day for 1 month. ② After anesthetization of rabbits in gene groups, recombinant plasmid DNA combined with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) was injected to C2-3, C3-4 and C4-5 intervertebral disc (20μL per intervetebral disk). Eight months after modeling, rabbits in each group were sacrificed and C3-4 and C4-5 intervertebral disc was used as samples. In addition, contents of IL-1β and TNF-α were measured with double-antibodies-sandwich-ELISA method.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Contents of IL-1β and TNF-α in cervical intervertebral discs of rabbits at 8 months after modeling.

RESULTS:

All 35 rabbits were involved in the final analysis. Eight months after modeling, for contents of IL-1β and TNF-α, shallow-layer model group was higher than normal control group (P ＜ 0.05-0.01); shallow-layer medicine group and shallow-layer gene group were obviously low er than shallow-layer model group (P ＜ 0.05); whole-layer medicine group and whole-layer gene group were lower than whole-layer model group (P＜ 0.05-0.01).

CONCLUSION:

The degenerated intervertebral discs can release many kinds of cytokine and inflammatory mediators which can enhance the degeneration of cervical intervertebral discs. Antihyperosteogeny capsule combined with glucosamine hydrochloride capsule and gene therapy can obviously reduce the contents of IL-1β and TNF-o in degenerated cervical intervertebral discs.