Preventive and Restorative Responses of Broccoli Sprouts on Biomechanical Structures, Histomorphometric, and Gene Expression Levels of Degenerated Intervertebral Disc in Rabbit Model

STUDY DESIGN: Symptomatic disk degeneration is characterized by early pathological changes in the morphological, biochemical, and biomechanical properties of the intervertebral disc (IVD). Several methods that can be used to resolve this condition are being researched. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to examine the preventive and restorative properties of broccoli sprouts extracts in an annular puncture rabbit model of IVD degeneration. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: IVD degeneration is closely associated with low back pain. A degenerated IVD is cytoarchitecturally characterized by a reduction in cell number, morphological changes in the disk tissue, and changes in the extracellular matrix contents. Methods, such as imaging and biochemical characterization, have been used for distinguishing between degenerated disk and non-degenerated disk. METHODS: Twenty New Zealand white rabbits (weighing approximately 2.0–3.5 kg) were divided into four groups (n=5). Group 1 received 50 mg/kg of normal saline solution orally for 4 weeks; group 2 received 50 mg/kg of normal saline solution immediately after puncture for 4 weeks; group 3 received 300 mg/kg of aqueous extract of broccoli sprouts orally immediately after puncture for 4 weeks; and group 4 received 300 mg/kg of aqueous extract of broccoli sprouts after 4 weeks of puncture for another 4 weeks. After the experiment, the disk height index (DHI), histomorphometry, and gene expression level were measured and analyzed. RESULTS: The photomicrograph showed that the histological features of the punctured-treated groups (groups 3 and 4) were more similar to those of the non-punctured group than those of the punctured non-treated group. There was a significant difference in the DHI and relative gene expression levels among the non-treated punctured groups compared with those of the non-punctured and punctured-treated groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the aqueous extract of broccoli sprouts exerts preventive and restorative effects in a rabbit model with disk degeneration.