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Effects of Tetramethylpyrazine on Neuronal Apoptosis in the Superficial Dorsal Horn in a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain

Authors :
Xiang-Mei Gao
Yan-Hong Xing
Shu-Xiu Wang
Yufang Leng
Source :
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. 40:1229-1239
Publication Year :
2012
Publisher :
World Scientific Pub Co Pte Ltd, 2012.

Abstract

The Bennett and Xie (1988) model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) investigated the effects of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) on neuropathic pain-associated behaviors and neuronal apoptosis in the spinal dorsal horn. Fifty-four male rats were randomly divided into sham (group S), CCI (group C) and TMP groups (group T). Each group was divided into subgroups (n = 6 in each group) according the time of sacrifice: 3 d, 7 d and 14 d. Rat sciatic nerves were unligated (group S), or the right sciatic nerve was loosely ligated (groups C and T) to produce CCI. Mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWTs) and thermal withdrawal latencies (TWLs) were measured, and the rats were sacrificed at different time points post-operation. The L4-L6 sections of the spinal cord were removed. Apoptotic changes were evaluated using the TUNEL method. Immunohistochemistry assessed Bcl-2 and caspase-3 expression. TMP treatment increased MWT and TWL values and Bcl-2 expression, but it reduced neuronal apoptosis and caspase-3 expression in laminae I–II of the spinal dorsal horn. These results suggested that the inhibition of neuronal apoptosis via the modulation of Bcl-2 and caspase-3 proteins in the rat spinal dorsal horn contributed to TMP-induced analgesia.

Details

ISSN :
17936853 and 0192415X
Volume :
40
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The American Journal of Chinese Medicine
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....8476f6f0070212d42aa78362ddc35bf3