Intervertebral Disk Degeneration in Rabbits: Histomorphometric and Histomorphological Effects of Aloe Vera Gel

Study design: This is an experimental study using an animal model.

Objectives: Disk degeneration is a common cause of low back pain. However, few attempts have been made to proffer a medical solution. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aloe vera gel (AVG) on the histomorphometric changes in the intervertebral disk of annular-punctured rabbits.

Methods: A total of 25 rabbits weighing 1.0 to 3.5 kg were used for this study; 20 rabbits were subjected to annular puncture of the L3/L4, L4/L5, and L5/L6 disks using an 18G needle. Five rabbits were randomly assigned to 5 groups (A, B, C, D, and E) of 5 animals per group. Group A was not punctured. Group B was punctured. Groups C, D, and E were punctured and given 600 400, and 200 (mg/kg) of AVG orally, respectively. The disk histology and nucleus pulposus cell count were done 6 weeks after the puncture procedure.

Results: The results revealed a gradual reversal of degenerative changes in the treated groups compared with the nontreated groups (P < .05). The observed changes in the organization of the elastic and collagen content, increase in fibrochondrocyte-like cells of the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus (P = .0027), and the degree of degeneration of the disk (P = .0001) in the treated groups compared with the nontreated groups were statistically significant.

Conclusion: Administration of AVG halted and reversed disk degeneration in an annular puncture-induced disk degeneration rabbit model.

Keywords: aloe vera gel; annular puncture; disk degeneration; low back pain; nucleus pulposus.