• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.61-79
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of Dokwal-tang(Duhuo-tang) and Jungsongouhyul Pharmacopuncture on pain control and nerve regeneration after crush injury in rat sciatic nerve. Methods : Animal model was produced through right sciatic nerve crush injury and they were randomly divided into four groups; Group I: no treatment control group; Group II: experimental group treated with Dokwal-tang(Duhuo-tang); Group III: experimental group treated with Jungsongouhyul Pharmacopuncture; Group IV: experimental group treated with Dokwal-tang(Duhuo-tang) and Jungsongouhyul Pharmacopuncture. For the pain assessment, this study was observed the paw withdrawal latency(PWL) and immunoreactivity on the substance-P. For the nerve regeneration assessment, the sciatic functional index(SFI) and immunoreactivity on the GAP-43 were measured. Results : 1. In the pain assessment, the PWL of experimental groups were significantly higher than control group and group IV was significantly higher than other groups. 2. In immunohistochemical response of substance-P, as time passes, all groups had decreased immunoreactivity gradually. Specially, group IV was observed the lowest immunoreactivity. 3. In the assessment of SFI, the SFI of experimental groups were significantly higher than control group. 4. In immunohistochemical response of GAP-43, all groups had higher GAP-43 immunoreactivity at the 14 days from post-injury and at the all days, control group was observed most lower immunoreactivity and group IV was observed most higher immunoreactivity. Conclusions : These results of this study suggest that Dokwal-tang(Duhuo-tang) and Jungsongouhyul Pharmacopuncture was related with pain inhibition and motor nerve recovery, and decreased substance-P expression and increased GAP-43 expression after sciatic nerve crush injury.