Sodium Tanshinone IIA Sulfonate Ameliorates Injury-Induced Oxidative Stress and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration in Rats by Inhibiting p38 MAPK Signaling Pathway

Figure 2

Histological analysis of IVDs in each group after 4 weeks. Representative histological images of IVDs stained with H&E (a), Safranin-O Fast green (b), and alcian blue (c) in each group. (d) Semiquantitative analysis of histological staining. Normal IVDs in the control group consisted of round NPs, distributed evenly, and integrated among collagen lamellae. Degenerated discs in the IDD groups exhibited NPs of significantly reduced size, with a clearly blurred boundary between the NP and AF. Four weeks’ treatment with STS significantly rescued such disc degeneration in a dose-dependent manner. IVD: intervertebral disc degeneration; NP: nucleus pulposus; AF: annulus fibrosus; IDD: intervertebral disc degeneration; STS10/20: 10/20 mg/kg sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate; and compared with the IDD group ( per group).

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