Figure 7.

QUE attenuates the progression of IVDD in the rat tail needle puncture-induced IVDD model. (a) Representative T2-weighted images of MRI scans for the needle-punctured discs 4 and 8 weeks postsurgery (red boxes indicate the punctured level). (b) Pfirrmann grade scores based on the MRI T2-weighted signal intensity 4 and 8 weeks postsurgery. (c) Representative H&E images showing the histopathology and cell morphology and Safranin-O/Fast Green and Alcian blue staining showing proteoglycan deposition in different experimental groups 8 weeks postsurgery (original magnification ×25, scale bar: 500 μm). (d) The improved histopathological grading score of intervertebral discs were calculated for each group. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation from three independent experiments. ^#P < 0.01 vs. control group, ^∗P < 0.05; ^∗∗P < 0.01 vs. saline group.