Ming An Decoction Inhibits Tinnitus Related Central Inflammatory Mechanisms Induced by Salicylates in Rats
XU Zhihui
ZHENG Wei
CHEN Si
LIN Jiachuan
ZHANG Jianning
HUO Yan
Abstract：Objective To investigate central inflammatory mechanisms of effects of Ming An Decoction on tinnitus related activation-induced TNF-α expression in microglia of the medical geniculate body(MGB)in rats.Methods Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly assigned to a control,a sodium salicylate treatment(SS),a Ming An Decoction treatment(MAD)and a TNF-α Inhibitor treatment(QNZ)group.Behavioral changes were assessed by pre-pulse inhibition(PPI)and gap pre-pulse inhibition of the acoustic startle(GPIAS)modeling.Expression of the microglia-specific marker Iba-1 in the MGB was assessed using immunofluorescence(IF).As part of cell morphology evaluation,skeletal analysis was utilized to calculate endpoints/cell and process length/cell of MGB microglia.TNF-α mRNA transcription and protein expression levels in the MGB region were measured using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and Western Blot(WB).Results GPIAS inhibition in the SS group was lower than in the control group(P<0.05),and lower than in the QNZ and MAD groups(P<0.05).MGB microglia endpoints and branch length in the SS group were also lower than in the control group(P<0.05),and lower than in the MAD and QNZ groups(P<0.05),while MGB microglia endpoints and branch length in the MAD group were higher than in the QNZ group(P<0.05).mRNA transcription and protein expression levels of TNF-α in the MGB in the SS group were higher than in the control group(P<0.05),and higher than in the MAD and QNZ groups(P<0.05),while the mRNA transcription level of TNF-α in the MAD group was lower than in the QNZ(P<0.05)with and no significant difference in expression level of TNF-α protein between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion Ming An Decoction may improve tinnitus associated behavioral performance in rats by inhibiting the activation of microglia,thereby down-regulating the expression of TNF-α.
Keywords：tinnitusmedial geniculate bodyMing An Decoctionmicrogliatumor necrosis factor-α
Publication Date：2025-02-27
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 89-94 )