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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) on treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 40 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and an EA group, 10 rats in each group. PD rat model was duplicated by micro injection of 6-hydroxyl dopamine into right striatum of rats, and the rats in the sham operation group were treated with micro injection of 0. 9% NaCl. Rats in the normal group, model group and the sham operation group received no treatment; rats in the EA group were treated by EA at "Fengfu" (GV 16) and "Taichong" (LR 3) with continuous wave, 2 Hz in frequency, 1 mA in intensity for 30 min. The treatment was given once a day for total 2 weeks. Behavioral test was used to evaluate rotational behavior changes of PD rats. RT-PCR method was applied to detect the expression of GFAP (glial fiber acidic protein) mRNA and Cx43 (connexin 43) mRNA in the striatum.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The difference of rotational behavior was not significant before and after treatment in the model group (P>0. 05), while that in the EA group was significant (P<0. 01). The expression of GFAP mRNA and Cx43 mRNA in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group and sham operation group (all P<0. 01); after EA treatment, the expression of GFAP mRNA and Cx43 mRNA in the EA group was lower significantly than that in the model group (both P<0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The action mechanism of EA for prevention and treatment of Parkinson' s disease may be associated with inhibiting the activation of astrocytes.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Acupuncture Points , Astrocytes , Connexin 43 , Genetics , Metabolism , Corpus Striatum , Metabolism , Electroacupuncture , Nerve Tissue Proteins , Genetics , Metabolism , Parkinson Disease , Genetics , Metabolism , Therapeutics , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
This study was aimed to explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) on improvement of Parkinson’s disease (PD). A total of 40 SD male rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, which were the normal group, sham-operation group, model group, and EA group (n=10). The 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was used to prepare PD rat rotational model. The 0.2% Vitamin C of physiological saline was injected in the sham-operation group. EA on GV16-Fengfuand LR3-Taichongwas given for 30 min in the EA group after the model was successfully established, once a day, 7 days a treatment course. The treatment was given for 2 courses. Behavioral test was used to detect PD rat rotational behavior changes. Glu concentration in the striatum was detected by HPLC assay. The expression levels of GS and PAG were detected with western blot. The results showed that there were significant differences in the rotational behavior before and after treatment in the EA group (P < 0.01). Compared with the normal group and sham-operation group, Glu concentration significantly increased, GS expression obviously decreased, and PAG expression significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, Glu concentration obviously decreased (P < 0.05), GS expression significantly increased, and PAG significantly decreased in the EA group (P < 0.01). It was concluded that the protective effect of EA in PD may be associated with EA improving the expression of GS, reducing the expression of PAG, and relieving the cytotoxicity induced by Glu in the brain.
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Objective To observe the effects of moxibustion on learning and memory ability and nerve cell ultrastructure in CA1 region of hippocampus of rats with Alzheimer's disease (AD);To discuss its mechanism of action to AD.Methods A total of 40 male SD mice was randomly divided into normal group, model group, moxibustion group and sham-operation group. Stereotactic injection agglutinated Aβ25-35 into bilateral hippocampus of rats in model group and moxibustion group to prepare AD models. Rats in moxibustion group were treated by moxibustion at the points which were located above 2-3 cm away from Shenshu, Zusanli and Baihui. Rats in normal group received no treatment. The learning and memory ability was detected by Morris water maze test. Morphological changes of rat nerve cell ultra structure in hippocampal CA1 region were observed by transmission electron microscope.Results In model group, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days was significantly lengthened, and the times across the platform position significantly decreased. Transmission electron microscope indicated nerve cell structures were damaged and displayed unclearly;mitochondrion swelled, even mitochondrial crista was abnormal and deformed, endoplasmic reticulum of inter organelle expanded and the deposition of lipofuscin increased. After the treatment by moxibustion, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days was shortened obviously, and the times across the platform position significantly increased. In moxibustion group, the edema of nerve cells significantly decreased;dilation of endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria swelling significantly improved;golgi bodies, mitochondria and ribosomes obviously increased in comparison with the model group. Conclusion Moxibustion can improve the learning and memory impairment caused by Aβ by promoting repairing of nerve cells in brain.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects and action mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) on Parkinson's disease (PD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-eight healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham operation group, a model group and an EA group, 12 rats in each one. Rats in the model group and EA group were treated with subcutaneous injection of rotenone (1mg/kg, dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide and 0. 9 % normal saline) on neck and back for 40 days to establish rat model. Rats in the sham operation group were treated with injection of identical dose of dimethyl sulfoxide and 0. 9 %o normal saline at identical location which did not contain rotenone. After model establishment, rats in the EA group were treated with EA at "Fengfu" (GV 16) and "Taichong" (LR 3) with continuous wave (2 Hz, 1 mA), which was given 20 min per time, once a day for consecutive 28 days. Rats in the remaining groups were treated with fixation and immobilization without any other intervention. The rats behavioristics changes were observed and scored; immunohisto-chemistry was adopted to test the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH); fluorescence spectrometry was used to detect the activities of 20 S β1, β2, β5; western blot method was applied to measure the expression of 20S proteasome and its a subunit.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the normal group and sham operation group, there was significant change of behavioristics in the model group, and TH positive neuron counting was obviously reduced; after treatment, the behavioristics score in the EA group was lower than that in the model group (P<0. 05), and TH positive neuron counting was significantly increased (P<0. 05). Compared with the normal group and sham operation group, the activities of 20 S β1, β2, β5 in model group were significantly reduced (all P<0. 01), and those in the EA group were higher than those in the model group (P<0. 01). Compared with the normal group and sham operation group, the expression of 20S proteasome and its a subunit was reduced in the model group, and that in the EA group was higher than that in the model group (P<0. 05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA could improve the loss of dopaminergic neurons induced by rotenone to prevent and treat PD, which is likely to be related with protecting the activity and expression of proteasomes in substantia nigra.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Disease Models, Animal , Electroacupuncture , Parkinson Disease , Therapeutics , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex , Metabolism , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Substantia NigraABSTRACT
This study was aimed to probe into the mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A total of 40 male 15-month-old SD rats were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, moxibustion group and sham-operation group. Stereotactic injection of agglutinated Aβ25-35 into rat’s bilateral hippocampus was used to prepare AD models. Equal amount of normal saline was injected to rat’s bilateral hippocampus in the sham-operation group. Model rats were treated by moxibustion at the distance of 2-3 cm above points of‘BL23-Shenshu’, ‘ST36-Zusanli’ and ‘GV20-Baihui’. No intervention was given to rats in the normal group. The learning and memory ability was detected by Morris water maze test. Changes on expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3 of hippocampus zone were detected by immunohistochemical method. The results showed that in the model group, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days were significantly lengthened. And the times across the platform position were significantly reduced. Compared with the normal group and the sham-operation group, expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 in the hippocampus were significantly increased, and the expression of Bcl-2 was obviously decreased (P < 0.01). In the moxibustion group, the average escape latency of five days and the last three days were shortened obviously, and the times across the platform position were significantly increased. Compared with the model group, expressions of Bax and Caspase-3 were significantly reduced, and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased (P < 0.01). It was concluded that the action mechanism of AD treatment with moxibustion may be through the reducing of proapoptotic protein Bax and Caspase-3 releasing, promoting the releasing of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, so as to improve the learning and memory impairment caused by Aβ.
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Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on c-Jun amino terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in substantia nigra (SN) cells of rotenone-induced rats model of Parkinson's disease (PD),and explore the underlying mechanism of EA on PD.Methods A total of 32 male Sprague-Dawley mice were randomly and evenly divided into a normal group,a shamoperation group,a model group and an EA group.Model group and EA group were injected intradermally with rotenone (1 mg/kg,dissolved in DMSO and saline,concentration:O.25 mg/ml) on the nape of neck.Sham-operation group was injected the same dose of DMSO and saline.Normal group had no intervention.EA group was applied to Fengfu (DU16) and Taichong (LR3) acupoints after the establishment of PD model in rats.Behavioral assessment was conducted after the treatments,the rats were sacrificed for sampling substantia nigra tissue to detect the expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH),p-c-Jun amino terminal kinase (p-c-Jun) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ) protein with Western blotting (WB).Results Model rats showed significant PD syndrome characteristics,comparing with normal group and sham group,the difference was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).The results of open box test showed that the scores of model group rats decreased significantly in terms of the horizontal movement [(19.12 ±2.34) points] and vertical locomotor activity [(5.27 ± 1.04) points] when compared with normal group and sham group,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).After EA treatment,locomotor activity of rats increased significantly when compared with model group (P ＜ 0.05),however,the normal group and sham group was not statistically and significantly different in locomotor activity (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with normal group,the expression of TH protein in (0.183 ± 0.0213) reduced significantly and the expressions of p-c-Jun (0.388 ± 0.0283) and IFN-γ protein(0.453 ± 0.0332) increased significantly in model group,the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0.05).Compared with normal group,the expression of TH protein(0.324 ± 0.0538) reduced and the expressions of p-c-Jun(0.207 ± 0.0592) and IFN-γ protein (0.239 ± 0.0215) increased in EA group,the difference was not statistically significant (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with model group,the expression of TH protein increased significantly in EA group(P ＜ 0.05),the expressions of p-c-Jun and IFN-γ protein reduced significantly in EA group(P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion EA therapy may reduce the expression of IFN-γ protein in SN of PD rats model by regulating the expression of JNK/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway,which may delay the process of PD.
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Objective To research the function of the vagus nerve center nucleus of solitary tract(NTS)in the influence of gastric pressure by acupuncture at "Zusanli" in rats with motility disturbances of the stomach.Methods Adopting electrophysiological methods,the extracellular discharge signals of neuronic action in NTS were recorded with glass microelectrode.The influence of the discharges of NTS neurons and gastric pressure responding to the acupuncture at "Zusanli" point were observed in normal status and the condition of Atropine or Metoclopramide intravenous injection.Results In the normal status,acupuncture at "Zusanli" activated the discharges of NTS neurons and promote the gastric pressure remarkably.After Atropine intravenous injection,the background discharges of NTS neurons decreased.There was no statistical difference in the discharges responding to the effect of acupuncture before and after Atropine administration.And the gastric motion reinforced obviously by acupuncture at "Zusanli" after Atropine administration.But after intravenous injection of Metoclopramide,the background discharges of NTS neurons increased.There was also no statistical difference in the discharges responding to the effect of acupuncture before and after Metoclopramide administration.Moreover,the function of promoting gastric motion by acupuncture at "Zusanli" got more obviously after Metoclopramide administration.Conclusion The function of adjusting gastric motion by acupuncture at "Zusanli" point has close relation to the activation of NTS neurons,and the increasing amplitude of the discharges of NTS neurons wasn't influenced by cholinergic receptor blocker Atropine and dopamine-receptor antagonist Metoclopramide.
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Objective To study the function of ventrolateral medulla (VLM) in the treatment of rabbit myocardial ischemia by electroacupuncture at Neiguan point. Methods On the basis of the protection of rabbits against acute myocardial ischemia by electroacupuncture at Neiguan point,the action potential of rabbit's ischemic myocardial cell was observed after the VLM was blocked with Naloxone. Results Compared with the sham operation group, acute myocardial ischemia group and sham VLM block group,the ST segment potential remarkably increased and MAPA, MAPD_~50 ,MAPD_~90 significantly decreased in VLM block group. There were statistic significance(P
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Objective To observe whether electroacupuncture (EA) is protective to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in rabbits with acute cerebral infarction and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods Eighty rabbits were used in this study. After establishing the acute cerebral infarction rabbit model,all the animals were randomly allocated to a model group and an EA group. The acupoint "Bai Hui" and "Shui Gou" in Du meridian in the rabbits of the experimental group were stimulated by EA. The content of ANP,cAMP and cGMP was examined. Results Compared with the model group,the content of ANP in blood plasma and cAMP in brain tissue of the EA group significantly increased,while the content of cGMP decreased,the ratio cAMP/cGMP increased nearly to the normal level. Conclusion The EA exerted protective effect and promoted repair of BBB in rabbits with acute cerebral infarction,which might be modulated by the changes of the content of ANP in blood plasma and cAMP,cGMP in brain tissue.