Astragaloside IV attenuates IL‑1β‑induced intervertebral disc degeneration through inhibition of the NF‑κB pathway

This research investigates the potential of Astragaloside IV (AS IV), a traditional Chinese medicine, in treating intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), a major cause of low back pain. The study examines AS IV's effects on nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, which are crucial for maintaining the structure and function of intervertebral discs. The experiments involved using NP cells from patients with IDD and a rat model to mimic the condition. The researchers analyzed how AS IV affected inflammation, cell death (apoptosis), and the breakdown of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in these cells. The study found that AS IV effectively reduced inflammation, apoptosis, and ECM degeneration in NP cells. It also showed that AS IV inhibits the NF-κB pathway, which is involved in inflammation. In rats with induced IDD, AS IV had a protective effect, suggesting its potential as a treatment for IDD.

• 1
  AS IV effectively alleviated IL-1β-induced inflammation, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix degeneration in NPCs.
• 2
  AS IV decreased the IL-1β-induced phosphorylation of inhibitor of kappa B-alpha (p-IκBα) in the cytosol, and reduced nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65, indicating that AS IV inhibited the NF-κB pathway.
• 3
  AS IV had a protective effect against the progression of IDD, suggesting that AS IV could alleviate IDD in vivo.