ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the potential mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) to prevent ischemic stroke.@*METHODS@#The method of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was employed to establish a rat model of ischemic stroke. Seventy-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the sham group, MCAO + EA control (EC) group, and MCAO + EA (EA) group according to a random number table (n=26 per group). EA was applied to the acupoints of Baihui (DU 20) and Shenting (DU 24) 5 min and 6 h, respectively after the onset of MCAO. Rats in the sham and EC groups received only light isoflurane anesthesia for 30 min after MCAO. The neuroprotective effects of EA were evaluated by rota-rod test, neurological deficit scores and infarct volumes. Additionally, Nissl staining and immunostaining were performed to examine brain damage, rod formation, cellular apoptosis, and neuronal loss induced by ischemia. The activities of caspase-3, and expression levels of cofilin and p-cofilin in mitochondria and cytoplasm after ischemic injury were determined by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the EC group, EA significantly improved neuromotor function and cognitive ability after ischemic stroke (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Therapeutic use of EA also resulted in a significant decrease of cofilin rod formation and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP2) degradation in the cortical penumbra area compared with the EC rats (P<0.01). Furthermore, Western blot analysis showed that EA stimulation significantly inhibited mitochondrial translocation of cofilin and caspase-3 cleavage (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Additionally, brain damage (infarct volume and neuropathy), cellular apoptosis and neuronal loss induced by ischemia were remarkably suppressed by EA in the cortical penumbra of rats (P<0.05 or P<0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#EA treatment after ischemic stroke may attenuate ischemic brain injury and cellular apoptosis through the regulation of mitochondrial translocation of cofilin, a novel mechanism of EA therapy.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical value of Fuzheng Yiliu Recipe (FYR) combined with microwave ablation on hepatocellular carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were randomly assigned to the control group and the treatment group according to the random digit table, 30 in each group. Patients in the control group received microwave ablation therapy, while those in the treatment group received FYR three days after microwave ablation. The therapeutic course was 6 months. By the end of the treatment, the short-term objective therapeutic efficacy, the liver function, the hepatic fibrosis index, the cellular immune function were statistically analyzed between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The indices of the liver function, the hepatic fibrosis, and the cellular immune function were more significantly improved in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The CD4+ level and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ of the treatment group were remarkably higher than those of the control group (40.38 +/- 12.47 vs 28. 19 +/- 6.59, 1.49 +/- 0.41 vs 1.22 +/- 0.31). The tubercle recurrence rate of the treatment group (14.0%, 7/50) was significantly lower than that of the control group (33.3%, 15/45) after 6 months of treatment (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FYR combined with microwave ablation could elevate the therapeutic efficacy, enhance the patients' immunity, improve the liver function and the hepatic fibrosis degree.</p>