RESUMO
Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture at Baihui (DU20) and Zusanli (ST36) acupoints on the cognitive function and the oxidation protective mechanism of cortex in vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) rats, providing experimental evidence for the clinical treatment of VCI. Methods The VCI model was established by fluorescent microemboli injection through internal carotid artery. Randomly divided into the control group (n=12), the model group (n=12), the positive drug group (n=12), the acupuncture treatment group (n=12). Two weeks after modeling, the rats in the acupuncture treatment group were stimulated for 30 minutes with daily electroacupuncture at Baihui and Zusanli acupoints. The positive drug group was treated with donepezil hydrochloride 0.5206 mg/kg orally daily for 30 days. After the treatment, the water maze test was used to test the cognitive learning ability of rats. The content of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the cortex of rats were detected by biochemical methods. Results Compared with the model group, the number of passing through the platform (7.5 ± 1.9, 6.8 ± 2.2 vs. 3.7 ± 1.0) of acupuncture treatment group and positive drug group were significantly higher (P<0.05), and the total distance in target quadrant (495.4 ± 89.4 cm, 487.6 ± 96.2 cm vs. 341.4 ± 67.3 cm) were significantly longer (P<0.05). In acupuncture treatment group and the positive drug group, the activity of SOD in the cortex (17.3 ± 3.3 U/mg, 15.1 ± 2.5 U/mg vs. 9.7 ± 4.9 U/mg) was significantly higher (P<0.05), but the MDA (9.1 ± 2.2 μmol/L, 8.4 ± 3.7 μmol/L vs. 15.2 ± 4.4μmol/L), and H2O2 (85.2 ± 16.2 μmol/L, 82.1 ± 13.2 μmol/L vs. 114.7 ± 24.8 μmol/L) were significantly lower (P<0.05). In acupuncture group, the activity of GSH-Px (14.5 ± 3.7 U/mg vs. 9.0 ± 2.5 U/mg) was significantly higher than that in control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between acupuncture group and positive drug (P>0.05). Conclusions Acupuncture at Baihui and Zusanli acupoints can improve the behavior scores of rats with VCI, increase the contents of total SOD and GSH-Px,decrease the content of MDA and H2O2 in brain,and enhance antioxidant effects, while inhibiting peroxidation, improve free radical metabolism.