Abstract:

AIM: To investigate Tongjing dingyunwan blocking nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation on the MCP-1/CCR2 signaling pathway and expressions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 in the cervical spondylosis rats.  METHODS: The cervical spondylosis model was established through operative method. Therapeutic groups were given Tongjing dingyunwan (5.0 g/kg and 10.0 g/kg) and and Jingfukang granule (0.84 g/kg), once a day for four weeks, the general condition of rat was observed. After oral administration of Tongjing dingyunwan for four weeks, blood viscosity, serum TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were measured; Cervical intervertebral disc morphology was analyzed by HE staining; Real-time PCR was applied to detect the mRNA expressions of MCP-1 and CCR2, protein expression of NF-κBp65 in intervertebral disk tissue were detected by western blotting. RESULTS: Tongjing dingyunwan (5.0 g/kg and 10.0 g/kg) and Jingfukang granule (0.84 g/kg) might significantly improve the general condition of the cervical spondylosis rats, decrease blood low shear viscosity, shear viscosity, viscosity value, serum TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 contents and the mRNA and protein expressions of MCP-1, CCR2 and NF-κBp65 in intervertebral disk tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01, respectively), alleviate the proinflammatory cytokine on intervertebral disc injury, reduce the height and degeneration of the cervical intervertebral disc, reduce the fracture of the fibrous ring, the nucleus pulposus, the number of cells and the thickness of the cartilage, especially Tongjing Dingyunwan 10.0 g/kg group. CONCLUSION: Tongjing dingyunwan has a better therapeutic effect on cervical spondylosis rats. Its mechanism is mainly related to reducing blood viscosity, inhibiting the MCP1/CCR2 signaling pathway, activation of NF-κB, and productions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6.

Key words: Tongjing dingyunwan, cervical spondylosis, nuclear factor-κB, MCP-1/CCR2 signaling pathway, proinflammatory cytokine