中药内治腰椎间盘突出症研究进展

Advances on study of treatment of lumbar disk herniation by Chinese medicinal herbs

腰椎间盘突出症是骨科常见病。近年来有关中药治疗腰椎间盘突出症的临床和基础研究开展较多。资料显示常用的基础方包括独活寄生汤、补阳还五汤、身痛逐瘀汤、桃红四物汤、阳和汤、通督活血汤等,临床常随证加减或辨证施治。研究表明中药有较好的疗效,能促使腰腿痛和下肢麻木消失或缓解,恢复下肢感觉肌力和正常的日常活动,还可用于治疗外科术后疼痛、术后椎间盘感染、术后椎间盘突出复发,预防术后硬膜外疤痕组织粘连等。处方中常用的药物包括活血止痛、补肝肾强筋骨、活血通络、祛风湿、补气药5类,具有抗炎、镇痛、调节免疫功能、增强巨噬细胞的吞噬功能、改善血液供应、保护神经、促进胶原合成等作用。今后可以从中药如何增强椎间盘内胶原合成和防止椎间盘退变、促进吞噬细胞对突出椎间盘髓核组织和硬膜外血肿的吸收、防止神经细胞的凋亡和促进神经细胞的再生、抑制神经痛觉活动等4方面着手进行中药治疗的机制研究。

Lumbar disk herniation （LDH） is a common orthopaedic disorder. Many clinical and basic science researches have been conducted recently on using Chinese medicinal herbs to treat LDH. Literature review reveals that the common basic formulas include Duhuo Jisheng decoction （DHJST）, Buyang Huanwu decoction （HYBWT）, Shentong Zhuyu decoction （STZYT）, Taohong Siwu decoction （THSWT）, Yanghe decoction （YH） and Tongdu Huoxue decoction （TDHXT）. A basic formula can be modified by adding more herbs or removing some herbs from the formula according to clinical symptoms and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome differentiation. Literatures show that herbal treatment have better clinical effects, the medicinal herbs make low-back pain, sciatica and low limb numbness disappeared or alleviated; and restore normal low limb sensation, muscle strength and daily activity. These formulas have also been used to treat LDH postoperative remaining pain, postoperative discitis, postoperative recurrent LDH, and to prevent epidural scar formation and dura mata adhesion. Herbs in these formulas include 5 categories of drugs classified by TCM. They are blood circulation promoting herbs for relieving pain; liver and kidney nourishing and tendons and bones strengthening herbs; blood circulation promoting herbs for unblocking collaterals; pathogenic wind and dampness expelling herbs; and qi invigorating herbs. These herbs have actions of analgesia, anti-inflammation, immunomedulation, phagocytesis of macrophages enhancement, blood circulation improvement, nerve protection, collagen synthesis enhancement. Future research needs to focus on the effects of herbs on four aspects： to enhance collagen synthesis in the disks and inhibit disk degeneration; to promote the resorption of herniated nucleus pulposus and epidural hemorrhage; to prevent nerve cell apoptosis and promote nerve cell regeneration, and to inhibit nociception in the nerve system.