Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2010, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (15): 2722-2726.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-8225.2010.15.015

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Xianling Gubao prevents lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in ovariectomized rats

Li Zhen1, Zhang Liu 1,2, Mu Shu-lin1, Li Qiang1, Cheng Tan2, Tian Fa-ming2   

  1. 1 Affiliated Hospital of North China Coal Medical University, Tangshan  063000, Hebei Province, China; 2 Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang   050017, Hebei Province, China
  • Online:2010-04-09 Published:2010-04-09
  • Contact: Zhang Liu, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Affiliated Hospital of North China Coal Medical University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China zhliu130@sohu.com
  • About author:Li Zhen★, Master, Attending physician, Affiliated Hospital of North China Coal Medical University, Tangshan 063000, Hebei Province, China zhen1976doctor@163.com

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Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Xianling Gubao (XLGB) mainly contains icariin, buguzhi, duanxu and so on, and it has been widely used to treat osteoprosis in clinic.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of XLGB on lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LVD) in the ovariectomized (OVX) rats.
METHODS: Thirty 3-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Bilateral OVX + XLGB group was treated with an intragastric perfusion of 250 mg/(kg•d) XLGB, once a day, for 12 successive weeks. Ovary was exposed but not ovariectomized in the sham-surgery group. Bilateral OVX + saline group was treated with an equal volume of saline. All the rats were sacrificed after 3 months postsurgery. Double labeling was performed with subcutaneous injections of tetracylcin 10 days and of calcein 4 days before sacrifice. Bone histomorphometric analysis was applied to the L2 lumbar spines in all rats. L4-5 lumbar spines and intervertebral disc sections were stained by collagen VG staining and immunostained for MMP-13 expression. The pathological changes of intervertebral discs were observed and degree of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration (LVD) was scored by a histological scoring system.
RESULTS:  ① Bone histomorphometric analysis: Spine bone mass in the OVX+ saline group was significantly lower than that in sham-surgery and OVX+XLGB groups (P < 0.05). ② Histological scoring: Rats in OVX+ saline group had significantly higher scores than those in sham-surgery and OVX+XLGB group (P < 0.05).③ Immunostaining: MMP-13 expression in the OVX+ saline group was significantly higher than that in sham-surgery and OVX+XLGB groups (P < 0.05). XLGB could prevent lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in the OVX rats, probably from maintaining bone mass and microarchitecture of vertebral body and inhibiting endplate calcifaction thereby improving the biomechanical environment and nutrition supply of intervertebral disc, as well as counteracting extracellular matrix degradation by down-regulation of MMP-13 expression.

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