Figure 6

Downregulated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) on postoperative Day 11 in the spinal cord of rats receiving repeated Scolopendra pharmacopuncture (SPP) after spinal nerve ligation (SNL). (A) Immunohistochemistry photomicrographs of the L5 spinal dorsal horn in SNL rats repeatedly administered saline (SAL)and SPP and incubated with antibody recognizing GFAP. Images (a–c) and (d–f) were viewed by using a 10 × and a 20 × lens, respectively. Scale bars are 200 µm for (a–c) and 100 µm for (d–f). (B) Bar graph presenting the number of GFAP positive astrocytes [^##p < 0.001, SNL+SAL vs. the naïve group; *p < 0.05, SNL+SPP vs. SNL+SAL group; naïve (n = 3), SNL+SAL (n = 5), SNL+SPP (n = 5)]. (C) Protein levels of GFAP and actin in the L5 spinal cords of rats undergoing different treatments, as obtained using western blotting. (D) Standardized ratio of the relative integrated densities (GFAP/actin) of the SNL+SPP group to those of the SNL+SAL group (*p < 0.05 vs. SNL + SNL group), n = 3. GFAP is the astrocytic marker.