AIM: Study results are various in the mechanism and influential factors of backleg pain in patients with lumber intervertebral disc protrusion. This study aimed to explore the correlation of sagittal index and changes in nucleus pulposus inflammatory factor to low back and leg pain. METHODS: The patients with single unilateral prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc who were non-central type lumbar disc herniation (L3-4, L4-5 or L5-S1) and non-lumbar spondylolisthesis accompanied with spinal canal stenosis and intraspinal canal disease surgically treated with limited laminectomy from October 1999 to February 2005. The total number of subjects was 41 including 30 men and 11 women and the patients ranged from 28 to 72 years old in age. Of them, 12 were the type of bulge, 15 were the type of protrusion and 14 were the type of free disc herniation of the lumbar spine. Another 17 involved intervertebral discs obtained in the decompression of lumbar bursting fractures were taken as a control group, in which were 10 males and 7 females aged 19-73 years. A questionnaire survey of painful symptoms to evaluate degree of low back and leg pain with visual analogue scale (VAS) was performed by the same non-experimental physician on admission. The ratio of the maximum sagittal diameter of protrusion and the sagittal diameter of the same level vertebral canal was sagittal index to describe degree of protrusion. The matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and interleukin (IL)-1 contents were determined. Backleg pain degree of the protrusion was analyzed. RESULTS: All patients were included in the final results. The MMP-3 and IL-1 contents and the sagittal index of the protrusion in patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were higher than in the control group (P

We synthesized the superparamagnetic paclitaxel nanoparticles from modified chitosan tangling around Fe3O4 ferrofluid and taxol, and observed the nanoparticles with transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). Then we evaluated the paramagnetism of the particles by vibration specimen magnetometer (VSM) and tested their cytotoxicity with flow cytometry (FCM). The prepared nanoparticle solution was black without any floccule or sediment and appeared transparent after diluted. The nanoparticles were spherical and dispersed in water with mean diameter of 15 nm under TEM and showed superparamagnetic character. FCM test showed the nanoparticles had significant toxic effects against malignant astrocytoma U251 cell lines, equal to taxol alone. These results showed that the superparamagnetic nanoparticle not only enhanced the solubility of paclitaxel in water, but also was superparamagnetic and cytotoxic, which make suitable tools for magnetic targeting chemotherapy of brain gliomas.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Brain Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Chitosan ; pharmacology ; Drug Carriers ; chemistry ; Drug Compounding ; methods ; Ferric Compounds ; Glioma ; pathology ; Humans ; Magnetics ; Metal Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Nanoparticles ; Paclitaxel ; pharmacology