Jingshu Keli attenuates cervical spinal nerve ligation-induced allodynia in rats through inhibition of spinal microglia and Stat3 activation

Publication date: Available online 30 June 2018
Source:The Spine Journal
Author(s): Nianye Zheng, Xiaodong Liu, Ri Zhang, Idy Ho, Shihui Chen, Jiankun Xu, Hao Yao, Jiali Wang, Jiang Yue, Xinluan Wang, Ling Qin
Background ContextCervical radicular pain resulting from mechanical compression of a spinal nerve secondary to spinal degenerative alternations negatively impacts patients' quality of life. Jingshu Keli (JSKL), a traditional Chinese medicine formula with multiple active compounds, has been prescribed for pain management in patients with cervical radiculopathy for decades. Two major components of JSKL, ferulic acid and cinnamaldehyde, were identified to have anti-inflammation effect via inhibiting activation of Stat3.PurposeTo investigate the efficacy of JSKL by investigating its mechanism in attenuating cervical radiculopathy-induced mechanical allodynia via modulation activation of spinal microglia and phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3).Study DesignAn in vivo animal experiment.MethodsCervical radiculopathy of rats was established by C7 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) with 6-0 silk suture. The effect of post-operational daily gavage of JSKL on mechanical allodynia of rats was tested on day 3, 7, and 14 after surgery. Furthermore, spinal glial cells activation and phosphorylation of Stat3 (p-Stat3) were tested with immunofluorescence imaging and Western blot.ResultJSKL significantly inhibited SNL-induced allodynia as well as microglia activation in the spinal cord on day 7 and 14 after surgery. Moreover, expression of p-Stat3 was decreased in rats with SNL and JSKL treatment in comparison with rats with SNL and vehicle treatment.ConclusionsJSKL attenuated SNL-induced mechanical allodynia in rats. This analgesic effect might be explained by the suppression of activations of spinal microglia as well as p-Stat3. Our study provides experimental evidence for JSKL as an alternative approach to manage refractory pain in patients with cervical radiculopathy.



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