Objective: To study the effects of Gegen Recipe and Guizhi Recipe regulating the expression of IL-1beta, iNOS, TNFalpha and TGFbeta mRNA in degenerated intervertebral disk caused by stimulation of wind, cold and damp.
Methods: Thirty-six rabbits were randomly separated into six groups, viz. control group, stimulation by wind, cold and damp group, head in low-location group, compound model group (head in low-location plus stimulation of wind, cold and damp), Gegen Recipe group and Guizhi Recipe group. The gene expression of IL-1beta, iNOS, TNFalpha and TGFbeta mRNA in degenerated cervical intervertebral disks were assayed by RT-PCR.
Results: Compared with the control group, IL-1beta mRNA and iNOS mRNA expression were up-regulated in each model group(P<0.01). Both Gegen Recipe and Guizhi Recipe down-regulated IL-1beta mRNA, iNOS mRNA expression, which had significant differences compared with the stimulation model group(P<0.01 or <0.05). TNFalpha mRNA expression was significantly enhanced in the compound model group compared with the control group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference between the head in low-location group and the stimulation model group. Gegen Recipe down-regulated TNFalpha mRNA expression compared with the stimulation group(P<0.01),while the effect of Guizhi Recipe was not significant. Compared with the control group, TGFbeta mRNA expression went down in each model group(P<0.01). Gegen Recipe up-regulated TGFbeta mRNA expression(P<0.01), while the effect of Guizhi Recipe on adjusting TGFbeta mRNA was not significant.
Conclusion: Stimulation by wind, cold and damp, head in low-location, and compound of both can down-regulate the expressions of IL-1beta, iNOS, TNFalpha mRNA, and up-regulate the expression of TGFbeta mRNA. These researches certify that these factors take part in the progression of intervertebral disk degeneration. IL-1beta, iNOS, TNFalpha accelerate the degeneration and TGFbeta defers the degeneration. Gegen Recipe down-regulates the expression of TNFalpha mRNA and up-regulates the expression of TGFbeta mRNA. The effect on regulating the cell factors expressions by Guizhi Recipe is lower than that of Gegen Recipe.