ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The abnormality of the function of arcuate nucleus may be an important factor of obesity. It has been known that the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating obesity are related to nervous and neurohumoral regulation. What is the regulating effect of acupuncture on the function of arcuate nucleus?OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of acupuncture on the function of arcuate nucleus of obese rats, and further investigate central nervous functional mechanism of reducing weight by acupuncture.DESIGN: Randomized controlled study based on the experimental animals.SETTING: Acupuncture institute in second clinical medical college of a university of traditional Chinese medicine, and a population management college.MATERIALS: This experiment was carried out in the Acupuncture Institute of Second Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine between April and October 2002. One-month old male SD rats just in ablactation were selected.METHODS: Rats fed with ordinary wholesome rat-feed were in the normal group. The successfully established experimental obese rats models were randomly divided as control group and acupuncture group with 12 rats in each group. Rats in the acupuncture group were given acupuncture treatment for 14 days, and rats in the normal and control groups were put into rat fixation-machine for 15 minutes every day, lasting for 14 days. Body mass, Lee' s index, body lipid, level of central and peripheral leptin and insulin(INS) as well as the frequency of spontaneous discharge of nerve cell in the arcuate nucleus(ARC) of hypothalamus in obese rats were observed with nervous electrophysiological and nervous biochemical technology before and after acupuncture.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ① Effect of acupuncture on obesity index, fat contents of pericardium, kidney and epididymis of experimental obese rats. ② Effect of acupuncture on the frequency of spontaneous discharge of ARC nerve cell of hypothalamus in obese rats. ③ Effect of acupuncture on the contents of hypothalamic and serum leptin and INS of rats in each groups. ④ Correlation of the frequency of spontaneous discharge of ARC nerve cell of hypothalamus with the level of hypothalamic leptin and INS.RESULTS: The body mass[(517.74±29.35) g], Lee' s index (319.85 ± 3.96) and body fat content of obesity rats [ (13.88 ± 1.32) g] were all significantly higher than those in the normal rats, the differences were significant(P ＜ 0.01); the frequency of spontaneous discharge of nerve cell in ARC of hypothalamus in obese rats [ (3.12 ± 1.92) Hz] were all markedly lower than those of the normal rats[ (8.99 ± 2.71 ) Hz], the differences were significant (P ＜ 0.01 ); the frequency of spontaneous discharge of nerve cell in ARC was negatively correlated with body mass, Lee' s index and body lipid( r = -0. 592, -0. 672, -0. 521 ) . Acupuncture significantly increased the frequency of spontaneous discharge of nerve cell in ARC of hypothalamus in obese rats [(9.75 ±2.02) Hz] as compared with the control group, the differences were significant( P ＜ 0. 01 ).CONCLUSION: The good regulating effect of acupuncture on the function of arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus might be one of mechanisms in the antiobesity of acupuncture.
ABSTRACT
Better therapeutic effects have been achieved in the treatment of 112 simple obesity cases,mainly with acupuncture therapy plus auxiliary treatment of acupuncture weight loss apparatus. The results showed that the effective rate was 85% in 112 cases by one course of the treatments, 92% in 84 cases by two courses of the treatments, and 98% in 43 cases by three courses of the treatments. The therapeutic effect in combination with acupuncture apparatus was better in long courses of the treatment than in the short courses of the treatments, in male than in female, in young age than in old age, in mild case than in severe condition, in short duration than in long duration, in excessive pattern than in deficient pattern, in those without complications than in those with complications, and in those without family history than in those with family history, indicating that early treatment and prolonged treatment can enhance the therapeutic effects in weight loss by acupuncture.
ABSTRACT
The fasting blood sugar (FBS), blood insulin (INS), insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and resistant hormone of INS in 46 patients with NIDDM were observed before and after the treatment. It was showed that the good effect was achieved in the cases by acupuncture and moxibustion, while the contents of FBS and INS in plasma were all decreased and ISI was increased in the cases treated by acupuncture and moxibustion, the degree of decrease of FBS and INS, and increase of ISI being closely related to therapeutic effect. The level of resistant hormone of INS and lipid in patients tend to normal level. Acupuncture and moxibustion had a good regulatory effect on the function of endocrine,sugar and lipid metabolism. It suggests that IR can be corrected by acupuncture and moxibustion,which is a key to therapeutic effect.
ABSTRACT
Effects of acupuncture on spontaneous discharges of nerve cells in ventromedial neucleus of hypothalamus (VNH) and levels of monoamine neurotransmitters in rats of obesity were observed. Results indicated that levels of tyrosine (Tyr) and dopamine f DA) were decreased, and the levels of 5 -hydroxytryptamine (5 - HT) and 5 - hydroxyindole acetic acid (5 - HIAA) increased in VNH; The frequency of spontaneous discharges of nerve cells in VNH lowered significantly in the obesity group as compared with those in the normal group; When acupuncture attained effect of weight reduction, the frequency of spontaneous discharges of nerve cells in the VMH increased obviously; the levels of Tyr, DA, tryptamine , and 5 - HT/5 - HIAA increased, and 5 - HT level decreased in VMH tissue. It is suggested that the benign regulative action of acupuncture on VNH is possibly one of the crucial factors for acupuncture in reducing body weight.