Danshen Attenuates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration via Antioxidation in SD Rats

Figure 2

Histological analysis of IDD. (a) Representative histological appearance of IVDs stained with H&E. The control IVD presents a rounded nucleus pulposus, well-organized collagen lamellas, and a well-defined border between the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP). NP cells were stellar shaped and evenly distributed in the NP. In the IDD group, the size of the NP decreased and the border between the AF and NP became interrupted. The NP cells became large, rounded, clustered, and separated by dense areas of proteoglycan matrix. The annular collagen layers became disorganized with inward bulging of the inner annulus. The degenerated characteristics of rat IVD was alleviated by four weeks of Danshen treatment. (b) Representative histological appearance of IVDs stained with Safranin O-Green. (c) Analysis of the extent of IDD based on histological staining. Significantly higher histological scores were found four weeks after IDD induction. The histological score of the Danshen IDD group was significantly decreased than that of the IDD group. The values are expressed as the . . IDD: intervertebral disc degeneration; IVD: intervertebral disc; NP: nucleus pulposus; AF: annulus fibrosus.

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