• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.15-32
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this Study was to identify the effect of Dokhwalgisaeng-tang(Duhuoqisheng-tang) and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture on pain control and nerve regeneration after crush injury in rat sciatic nerve. Methods : Neuropathic pain was induced by crush-induced model of right sciatic nerve. Animal groups were divided as follows; Group I: no treatment control group, Group II : experimental group treated with Dokhwalgisaeng-tang(Duhuoqisheng-tang), Group III : experimental group treated with Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture, and Group IV : experimental group treated with Dokhwalgisaeng-tang(Duhuoqisheng-tang) and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture. To evaluate pain intensity, each group was observed paw withdrawal threshold and immunoreactivity on the c-fos before and after respective treatments in five hours, first, third, and fifth day. To evaluate nerve regeneration, those were observed SFI(Sciatic Functional Index) and GAP-43(Growth Associated Protein 43) after each treatment in seventh and thirteenth day. Results : 1. Paw withdrawal threshold to the mechanical stimuli made the significant difference between group IV and the control group after five days of the experiment. 2. Paw withdrawal threshold to the thermal stimuli made the significant difference between group I and III, I and IV, II and IV. 3. In immunohistochemical response of c-fos, as time passes, the immunoreactivity of all groups was decreased gradually. Especially, group IV was observed the lowest after three days. 4. The differences of sciatic function indexes in each group were significantly between group I and III, I and IV, II and IV after 14 days, and between group I and III, I and IV, II and IV, III and IV after 21 days. 5. In immunohistochemical response of GAP-43, all groups had higher GAP-43 immunoreactivity at the 14 days from post-injury and group IV showed highest immunoreactivity. Conclusions : Based on above the results, it is proposed that Dokhwalgisaeng-tang(Duhuoqisheng-tang) and Jungsongouhyul pharmacopuncture may be helpful as a treatment in neuropathic pain and nerve regeneration in rat model.