Herb Formula “Fufangqishe-Pill” Prevents Upright Posture–Induced Intervertebral Disc Degeneration at the Lumbar in Rats

摘要

References(37) Cited-By(3) Degeneration of the lumbar spine plays an important role in most chronic low back pain. Prevention of lumbar intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is therefore a high research priority. Both our previous multicenter clinical trials and pharmacological research showed that Fufangqishe-Pill (FFQSP), a newly patented traditional Chinese medicine, could effectively relieve the symptoms of neck pain and prevent cervical degeneration. To clarify the effect of FFQSP on lumbar IVD degeneration, we applied a lumbar IVD degeneration rat model induced by prolonged upright posture. Pretreatment of FFQSP for one month prevented the histological changes indicating IVD disorganization; increased type II–collagen level, decreased type X–collagen protein level, and increased Col2α1 mRNA expression at all time points; and decreased Col10α1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3, MMP13, and Interleukin (IL)-1β mRNA expression induced by upright posture for 7 and 9 months. These results suggest that FFQSP prevents lumbar IVD degeneration induced by upright posture. FFQSP is a promising medicine for lumbar IVD degeneration disease.