Effect of Acupuncture on Behaviors and Hippocampal Neurotransmitters in Rats with Post-strike Depression / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of depression-relieving and mind-tranquilizing acupuncture on behaviors and hippocampal neurotransmitters in rats with post-strike depression.Method Rats were randomized to normal, model, medication and acupuncture groups, 20 ratseach. A rat model of post-strike depression was made by middle cerebral artery occlusion and chronic unpredictable mild stress. The medication received an oral gavage of fluoxetine 2 mg/kg and the acupuncture group, acupuncture at points Baihui(GV20), Fengfu(GV6), Shenmen(HT7) and Taichong(LR3), 20 min retention of needles with one manipulation meanwhile, once daily, 7 days as one course of treatment, for a total of three courses with one day of rest between. Rat behaviors were observed and hippocampal neurotransmitters 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), nonepinephrine (NE), acetylcholine (Ach),γ-aminobutyric acid (γ-GABA) and glutamic acid (Glu) were measured.Result The Zea Longa score was lower in the acupuncture group than in the model and medication groups at 15 and 22 days after intervention (P<0.01,P<0.05). Sugar water consumption increased in the acupuncture group compared with the model and medication groups at 7, 15 and 22 days after intervention (P<0.01). Sugar water consumption, open-box horizontal movement and vertical movement increasedin the medication and acupuncture groups at 7, 15 and 22 days after intervention compare with before intervention (P<0.01,P<0.05). Hippocampal 5-HT, NE, Ach,γ-GABA and Glu contents were significantly lower in the model group of rats than in the normal group (P<0.01) and were significantly higher in the acupuncture group of rats than in the model group (P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Depression-relieving and mind-tranquilizing acupuncture can markedly improve behaviors in rats with post-strike depression. Its mechanism may be related to regulating rat neurotransmitters 5-HT, NE, Ach,γ-GABA and Glu expressions.

Effect of acupuncture treatment on gene expression of neurotransmitters of brain tissue in rats with post-stroke depression / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of acupuncture on mRNA of the neurotransmitter serotonin transporter (5-HTT), 5-HTreceptor (5-HTR), norepinephrineα2 receptor (NEαR) in brain tissue in rats with post-stroke depression.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a medication group and an acupuncture group, 10 rats in each one. The model of post-stroke depression was established by occlusion of middle cerebral artery and chronic unpredictable mild stress method. After model was successfully established, the rats in the normal group and model group received no treatment; the rats in medication group were treated with intragastric administration of fluoxetine (2 mg/kg); the rats in acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Fengfu" (GV 16), "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Taichong" (LR 3) for 20 min, during which manual stimulation was given once, once a day, 7 days as one course, and totally 3 courses were given with an interval of one day between courses. The changes of rat behavior and 5-HT, NE were observed after intervention; the RT-PCR method was applied to observe the mRNA of 5-HTT, 5-HTR, NEαR in hippocampus, raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, compared with the normal group, the Zea Longa score in the model group was increased, while sugar water consumption, the number of horizontal and vertical movement of open-field test was reduced (all<0.01); compared with the model group, the Zea Longa score in the medication group and acupuncture group was reduced, while sugar water consumption, the number of horizontal and vertical movement of open-field test were increased (<0.01,<0.05); compared between the medication group and acupuncture group, the behavior changes were not significantly different (all>0.05). After treatment, compared with the normal group, the content of 5-HT and NE in brain tissue and mRNA expression of 5-HTT, 5-HTR in hippocampus, raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus in the model group were reduced (all<0.01), but the mRNA expression of NEαR was increased (<0.01);compared with the model group, the content of 5-HT and NE in brain tissue and mRNA expression of 5-HTT, 5-HTR in hippocampus, raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus in the medication group and acupuncture group were increased (<0.01,<0.05), while the mRNA expression of NEαR was reduced (all<0.01). The differences between medication group and acupuncture group were not significantly different (all>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Acupuncture could significantly improve behavioral change in rats with post-stroke depression, which may be related to the regulation of 5-HT, NE in cerebral cortex as well as mRNA expressions of 5-HTT, 5-HTR, NEαR in hippocampus, raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus.</p>

Research on Identification Model of Chinese Herbal Medicine by Texture Feature Parameter of Transverse Section Image / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

This study was aimed to establish the classification method of Chinese herbal medicine based on feature parameters extracted from images of herbal transverse section, in order to explore the feasibility of automatic identi-fication method of herbal medicine. The extracted 26 parameters of 18 herbal medicine images by gray-level co-oc-currence matrix and grayscale gradient matrix were used as the basic data set. And the minimum covariance determi-nant (MCD) was used to delete the outliers. A total of 18 identification models were established using the native Bayes method and BP neural network methods. The results showed that the average correct rates of models were 90%. It was concluded the feasibility of using these models in the establishment of the automatic identification method of herbal medicines. It provided new technologies for the quantitative, scientific and objective identification of Chinese herbal medicine.