"Herbal Acupuncture Used for Treating Herniated Disc Proven Effective"

Jasaeng Korean Medicine Hospital-Seoul National University Joint Research Team
Elucidates Treatment Effect and Mechanism of 'Sinbaro2 Acupuncture Injection'
"Confirmed Mechanism of Oxidative Stress Reduction and Inflammation Suppression"

The Spine and Joint Research Institute at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine announced on the 3rd that, through joint research with Professor Sang-guk Lee's team at Seoul National University College of Pharmacy, they have elucidated the mechanism of action of 'Sinbaro2' in treating lumbar disc herniation and demonstrated its effect on improving motor function. Sinbaro2 is an herbal acupuncture solution primarily composed of Eucommia ulmoides and Acanthopanax senticosus, and the institute explained that it has an effect of resolving inflammation, which is the cause of pain.

Medical staff at Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine are administering pharmacopuncture treatment to a patient with a herniated disc.
[Photo by Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine]

First, to induce a lumbar disc herniation condition, the research team transplanted autologous nucleus pulposus isolated from the tail disc of rats near the fifth lumbar nerve root of the rats. Then, the rats were divided into groups: ▲normal group ▲lumbar disc herniation-induced group ▲Sinbaro2 intramuscular administration group (2, 10, 20 mg/kg) ▲Sinbaro2 oral administration group (20, 200 mg/kg), and experiments were conducted.

Subsequently, the team analyzed the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-beta (IL-1β), signaling molecules related to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress refers to a state where reactive oxygen species accumulate excessively in the body, disrupting oxidative balance and causing inflammatory responses. It is known to be a cause of musculoskeletal diseases, nerve damage, metabolic syndrome, and aging-related conditions.

As a result of the experiment, TNF-α and IL-1β, which increased after lumbar disc herniation induction, were significantly reduced in expression by Sinbaro2 administration. Both the intramuscular and oral administration groups showed a pattern where the expression levels decreased further as the concentration of Sinbaro2 increased. The research team interpreted this as evidence that Sinbaro2’s therapeutic mechanism involves resolving inflammation, the cause of back pain, by reducing oxidative stress.

Moreover, the team discovered that Sinbaro2 also reduces the expression of factors related to disc degeneration. Examination of ADAMTS-5 expression in the Sinbaro2-administered groups showed that it increased due to lumbar disc herniation induction but decreased in a concentration-dependent manner with Sinbaro2. ADAMTS-5 is an enzyme that destroys cartilage and is known to be involved in disc degeneration.

In addition, Sinbaro2 demonstrated an improvement in motor function in animal behavioral experiments. After allowing rats to run on a wheel and observing their movement, it was found that the use of hind legs significantly increased from the 10th day of intramuscular and oral administration of Sinbaro2. Furthermore, higher concentrations of Sinbaro2 tended to result in greater improvements in motor function.

Jin-young Hong, senior researcher at the Spine and Joint Research Institute of Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine and the lead of this study, stated, "Through this research, we were able to confirm for the first time the mechanism of Sinbaro2 in treating lumbar disc herniation," adding, "Natural product-derived Korean medicine treatment is expected to be an alternative to chemical drugs such as steroids in treating lumbar disc herniation."

This paper was published in the March issue of the SCI(E)-level international journal 'Latest Neurology Research.'

Senior Researcher Hong Jin-young at Jaseng Spine and Joint Research Institute.
[Photo by Jaseng Korean Medicine Hospital]

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