Effect of pretreatment of acupuncture on learning-memory ability and related protein of NLRP3 inflammasome in hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease like rats / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of pretreatment of acupuncture on the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor 3(NLRP3), Caspase-1, interleukin1β(IL-1β) and the number of activated microglia (MG) in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease (AD) like rats, so as to explore the mechanism of pretreatment of acupuncture in preventing and treating AD.@*METHODS@#A total of 36 SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, 12 rats in each group. The AD like rat model was established by 8-week continuous intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (120 mg·kg@*RESULTS@#Compared with the blank group, the average escape latency was prolonged (@*CONCLUSION@#Pretreatment of acupuncture could prevent and treat the learning-memory dysfunction in AD like rats, and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammatsome related protein and MG activation.

Effects of Acupuncture on Alzheimer's Disease: Evidence from Neuroimaging Studies / 中国结合医学杂志

As the worldwide population ages, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases. However, the results of promising medications have been unsatisfactory. Chinese acupuncture has a long history of treating dementia, but lack of evidence from well-designed randomized controlled trials that validate its efficacy and safety, as well as its lack of clear underlying mechanisms, contribute to its limited application in clinical practice. In recent years, brain imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, have been used to assess brain responses to acupuncture in a dynamic, visual, and objective way. These techniques are frequently used to explore neurological mechanisms of responses to acupuncture in AD and provide neuroimaging evidence as well as starting points to elucidate the possible mechanisms. This review summarizes the existing brain imaging evidence that explains the effects of acupuncture for AD and analyzes brain responses to acupuncture at cognitive-related acupoints [Baihui (GV 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), and Taixi (KI 3)] from perspectives of acupoint specificity and acupoint combinations. Key issues and directions to consider in future studies are also put forward. This review should deepen our understanding of how brain imaging studies can be used to explore the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in AD.

Effect of pre-acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) on exercise-induced fatigue / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the therapeutic effect of pre-acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) on exercise-induced fatigue.@*METHODS@#A total of 50 subjects were divided into an observation group and a control group by random number table method, 25 cases in each one. In the observation group, acupuncture was applied at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) before exercise, once a day, consecutive 5-day treatment was required. In the control group, there was no intervention. The subjective fatigue perception score, serum levels of lactate and lactate dehydrogenase, heart rate and oxygen saturation before and after exercise were observed in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared before exercise, the subjective fatigue perception scores, serum levels of lactate and lactate dehydrogenase and heart rates after exercise were increased in the two groups (0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Pre-acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Zusanli (ST 36) can effectively reduce the subjective fatigue perception score，serum levels of lactate and lactate dehydrogenase and heart rate to improve exercise-induced fatigue.

Effect of acupuncture on the ultrastructure of neurons and astrocytes in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in rats with Alzheimer's disease induced by Aβ / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) on the ultrastructure of hippocampal dentate gyrus in rats with Alzheimer's disease.@*METHODS@#Forty SPF Wistar male rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and an acupuncture group, 10 rats in each one. The rats in the model group and the acupuncture group were treated with injection of 5 μL Aβ at bilateral hippocampus, while the rats in the sham operation group were treated with injection of 5 μL 0.9% NaCl. Three days after modeling, the rats in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) for 20 min, once a day, six treatments constituted a course, and totally two courses were given with an interval of 1 day between courses. The rats in the other groups received normal diet and no treatment was given. Before modeling, four days after modeling and after treatment, water maze test was performed to observe the escape latency and the number of crossing platforms. The hippocampal dentate gyrus was collected and transmission electron microscope was applied to observe the ultrastructure changes of neurons and astrocytes.@*RESULTS@#①Four days after modeling, compared with the normal group and the sham operation group, the escape latency was significantly prolonged and the number of crossing platforms was reduced in the model group (all <0.01); after treatment, compared with the model group, the escape latency was significantly reduced and the number of crossing platforms was increased in the acupuncture group (both <0.01). ②In the normal group and the sham operation group, the morphology of neurons and astrocytes was intact, the nuclear and membrane structure were clear, and the morphology of organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomes was normal. In the model group, the morphology of neurons was irregular, the nucleus was severely constricted with edema in the cytoplasm, the color of heterochromatin was deepened, the endoplasmic reticulum was expanded, the granulation was removed and the number of mitochondria was decreased, even with malformed-like change in mitochondrial cristae; there was severe edema around astrocytes, few organelles in the cytoplasm, severe swelling of mitochondria and mild expansion of the endoplasmic reticulum. In the acupuncture group, the edema of the neuron and astrocytes was still evident, and the mitochondrial was mildly swollen but relieved compared with that in the model group, and there were no obvious abnormalities in neuronal endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes.@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture could improve the ultrastructure of neurons and astrocytes in the hippocampal dentate gyrus in rats with Alzheimer's disease induced by Aβ.

Protective mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion on hippocampal neuron mitochondria in rats with Alzheimer's disease / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on ultrastructure and silent information regulator 1 (SIR1) in hippocampal neuron mitochondria in rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD) in order to explore its possible effective mechanism during the process of protecting mitochondria.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and an acupuncture group, 20 rats in each one. The AD model was established in the model group and acupuncture group with injection of Amyloid beta Protein Fragment1-14 (Abeta1-42) into the hippocampus. Acupuncture and moxibustion was applied at "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Shenshu" (BL 23) in the acupuncture group, once a day, seven days as a treatment course and totally two course were required. The rest groups were all fed with normal diet, without any treatment. The transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting technique were respectively adapted to measure ultrastructure and level of STR1 in hippocampal neuron mitochondria in AD rats.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the model group, the ultrastructure in hippocampal neuron mitochondria in the acupuncture group was effectively improved. The average optical density of SIR1 in hippocampus was 0.21 +/- 0.10 and the gray value was 136.82 +/- 47.42 in the model group, which were obviously lower than 0.47 +/- 0.09 and 281.44 +/- 57.98 in the normal group (both P < 0.01). However, levels of SIR1 in the acupuncture group, they were 0.32 +/- 0.11 and 199.52 +/- 58.12, which were significantly increased compared with those in the model group (both P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The reinforcing-kidney and regulating-Governor Vessel method of acupuncture and moxibustion for AD could improve ultrastructure of mitochondria and increase levels of SIR1 to achieve the aim of recovering injury of mitochondria and protecting function of mitochondria.</p>

Study on dual-directional regulation induced by acupuncture at different acupoints in the rat with motility abnormality of the stomach / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To probe into the bidirectional regulation of acupuncture in the rat with motility abnormality of the stomach and the nerve mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adopting electrophysiological methods, the extracellular discharge signals of neuronic action in NTS were recorded with glass microelectrodes. The effects of acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Neiguan" (PC 6), "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Qihai" (CV 6) on discharges of NTS neurons and intra-gastric pressure were observed in the rat at normal physiological state, and increase or reduction of gastric motility.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Neiguan" (PC 6) could significantly promote gastric motility of the rat at normal status, increase or reduction of gastric motion, while acupuncture at "Zhongwan" (CV 12), "Qihai" (CV 6) could significantly inhibit gastric motion. And acupuncture at all the above acupoints could activate discharges of NTS neurons.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The bidirectional regulation effect of an acupoint does not certainly indicate that the same point has bidirectional regulation effect on an internal organs at different pathological states, while this may show synthetic action of different points which is a good regulation towards normal states and homeostasis.</p>

The effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of insulin like growth factor 1 in the hippocampal CA1 region after ischemia-reperfusion / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture on cell apoptosis(CA)and the ex- pression of insulin like growth factor 1(IGF_1)in the hippocampal CA1 region of rats'brains after cerebral ischemic- reperfusion(CIR).Methods Middle cerebral artery obturation(MCAO)was established by the suture embolic method.CA and the expression of IGF_1 in the hippocampal CA1 region were detected by immunohistochemical meth- ods and TUNEL staining,respectively.Results Compared with those in the normal and sham operation groups, apoptotic cells were significantly increased in the hippocampal CA1 region of the model group(P＜0.01),while the expression of IGF_1 was slightly enhanced and plasma staining was also slightly positive(P＜0.05).Apoptotic cells in the CA1 region in the electroacupuncture group were obviously fewer in comparison with the normal group(P＜0.01),while the expression of IGF_1 was distinctly increased and the plasma staining was also obviously positive(P＜0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture treatment has preventive and therapeutic effects on ischemia-reperfusion injury,and its mechanism might be related with up-regulating the expression of IGF_1 and inhibiting CA.

Effects of electroacupuncture on the expression of microvascular endothelial ICAM-1 and P-selectin in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To investigate the protective effects of electroacupuncture on the endothelial tissues of microvessels in the basal ganglia in the rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.Methods The MCAO model was established by using Longa's method.The immunohistochemistry SABC(strepto-avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex) method was employed to detect the expression of ICAM-1,P-selectin in the microvessel of rats'ipsilateral basal gan- glia.Results The number of positive ICAM-1 and P-selectin endothelial cells of model group were significantly in- creased,as compared to normal group and sham operated group(P