Effect of acupuncture on the ultramicrostructure of the injured lumbar nerve and inflammatory medium of rats
- VernacularTitle:针刺对大鼠受损腰神经根超微结构及炎性介质的影响
- Author:
Yaochi WU
;
Yunqin YU
;
Junfeng ZHANG
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research
2005;9(37):182-184
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Lumbar spinal nerve root compression causes the damage of neural function and abnormal neural action of lumbar spinal nerve root, which is related not only to mechanical injury of the compressed but also to inflammatory reaction.OBJECTIVE: To establish the animal model of lumbar nerve root compression and investigate the effect of acupuncture on the ultramicrostructure of the injured lumbar nerve and inflammatory medium of rats.DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial.SETTING: Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University.MATERIALS: The study was conducted in the Experimental Animal Center of Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University from January 2001 to January 2004. Totally 90 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into model group and model + electroacupuncture group with 45 rats in each.METHODS: Clominorex was injected intraperitoneally for anesthesia.With interspace of spinous process of L5-6 as the center, the special silica gel slice was placed where the right side of L5 nerve root ran out of the dura mater sac, stabilized, sutured layer by layer, and covered with the aseptic gauze. Modeling group: No special disposal was made and the rats were fed regularly after modeling. Modeling + electro-acupuncture group:One day after modeling, a filiform needle of 28 gauge and 3.3 cm (1 inch)was used to puncture Huantiao and Yanglingquan points of the right hindlimb and Jiaji point of the right side of the oppressed nerve root. The oppressed injured lumbar nerve tissue was disposed after 15 days of modeling and 30 daysof modeling + electro-acupuncture, and observed with the optic microscope and electron microscope. The content of inflammatory medium such as prostaglandin E2 and5-hydroxy tryptamine was measured.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: [1] Results of damaged lumbar nerve root tissues under the electron microscope and light microscope; [2] content of inflammatory medium such as prostaglandin E2 and 5-hydroxy tryptamine.RESULTS: All the 90 rats entered the final analysis. [1] Hyperemia around the nervous tissues, edema and nerve root demyelination of electroacupuncture 15 days (model + electro-acupuncture group) were relieved.The structure of Schwann cells was normal. Massive inflammatory cells gathered around the nervous tissues in 30-day model group (model group).There was severe demyelination of nerve root tissues, and the gap between the nervous tissues widened and red blood cells leaked out. Demyelination of electro-acupuncture 30-day group (model + electro-acupuncture group)became mild and the edema in nerves was alleviated. [2] The content of prostaglandin E2 in the locally oppressed rat lumbar nerve tissues of 15-day and 30-day model + electro-acupuncture groups was obviously lower than that in 15-day and 30-day model groups [(61.17±9.77), (76.65±7.39) ng/L;(56.05±7.98), (71.04±6.99) ng/L, P ＜ 0.01], while the content of 5-hydroxy tryptamine in the locally oppressed rat lumbar nerve tissues of 15-day and 30-day model + electro-acupuncture groups was obviously lower than that in 15-day and 30-day model groups [(1 413.4±194.5), (2 587.7±214.7) ng/L;(780.4±133.0), (1 355.0±147.7) ng/L, P ＜ 0.01].CONCLUSION: Electro-acupuncture can alleviate inflammatory reaction around the injured lumbar nerves and improve the ultramicrostructure of lumbar nerve root. It has the effect of decreasing the content of prostaglandin E2 and 5-hydroxy tryptamine in oppressed lumbar nerve root tissues and partially inhibiting inflammatory reaction.
