봉독약침과 오공약침이 좌골신경 손상 흰쥐의 기능 회복과 염증 억제에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Objectives :Peripheral nerve injuries are commonly encountered clinical problems and often result in serve functional deficit. Bee venom and scolopendra subspinipes have been traditionally used in oriental medicine to treat several inflammatory diseases and chronic pain conditions. Methods :In the present study, the effects of bee venom pharmacopuncture and scolopendra subspinipes pharmacopuncture on functional recovery, severity of pain, and expressions of neurofilament, cycloxygenease-2(COX-2), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats were investigated. For this study, walking tract analysis, plantar test, western blot for COX-2 and TNF-α, and immunohistochemistry for neurofilament were performed. Results :In the present results, sciatic functional index(SFI) in walking tract analysis was significantly decreased following sciatic crushed nerve injury, and pain severity in plantar test was significantly increased. COX-2 and TNF-α expressions were increased whereas neurofilament expression was decreased by sciatic crushed nerve injury. On the other hand, bee venom pharmacopuncture and scolopendra subspinipes pharmacopuncture improved SFI in walking tract analysis and suppressed the pain severity in sciatic crushed nerve injury. Bee venom pharmacopuncture and scolopendra subspinipes pharmacopuncture suppressed COX-2 and TNF-α expression and enhanced the neurofilament expression in sciatic crushed nerve injury. Conclusions :In the present study, we have shown that treatment with bee venom or scolopendra subspinipes is the effective therapeutic modality to ameliorate the symptoms of sciatic crushed nerve injury. The efficacies of bee venom and scolopendra subspinipes were similar.