Eletroacupuncture improves lipid metabolic disorder by regulating hepatic AMPK/p38 MAPK/RRARγ signaling in rats with high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of eletroacupuncture (EA) intervention on lipid metabolism and expression of AMP-activated kinase (AMPK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) protein in the liver in rats with insulin resistance (IR), so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of IR. METHODS: Forty male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control, model, medication, and EA groups (n＝8 in each). The IR model was established by feeding the rats with high-fat diet for 12 weeks. After successful establishment of model, the rats in the blank control group and model group were fixed in the self-made rat bag without receiving any treatment. The rats in the medication group were treated by gavage of pioglitazone (10 mL/kg). EA (2 Hz /100 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to bilateral "Fenglong"(ST40) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP6) for 20 min, once a day, for continuous 14 days for rats in the EA group. The ultrastructure of the liver tissue was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Blood samples were taken from the abdominal aorta for detecting serum C-peptide (C-P), adiponectin (ADP), leptin (LEP) and resistin (RES) contents using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression levels of AMPK, p38 MAPK and PPARγ proteins in the liver tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: After modeling, the contents of serum C-P, LEP and RES, and the expression of liver p38 MAPK protein were significantly up-regulated (P0.05). Outcomes of TEM showed that morphological structure of liver mitochondria was damaged, including a large number of lipid droplets, being blur in appearance, rupture of partial membrane, dissapearance of partial mitochondrial crests with vacuolus-like appearance and decrease of rough endoplasmic reticulum in the model group, which was relatively milder in both EA and medication groups. CONCLUSION: EA intervention is able to improve the disorder of lipid metabolism of IR rats, which may be associated with its effects in lowering the activity of fatty acid synthesis-related enzymes and regulating AMPK/p38 MAPK/PPARγ signaling to improve IR in the liver tissue.

Clinical therapeutic effect of hyperlipidemia of turbid phlegm obstruction pattern/syndrome treated with the different Jin's three-needle therapies / 针刺研究

OBJECTIVE: To compare the differences in clinical effects on hyperlipidemia of turbid phlegm obstruction pattern/syndrome treated with the different Jin's three-needle therapies so as to provide a new approach and theoretic evidence for the clinical optimal scheme of acupuncture on hyperlipidemia. METHODS: A total of 90 patients were randomly divided into education group, electroacupuncture group and catgut embedding group (30 cases in each). The routine health education was given to the education group. On the base of the treatment as the education group, electroacupuncture was applied to the electroacupuncture group for 30 min each time, twice a week; and the catgut embedding was applied to the catgut embedding group at the same acupoints as the electroacupuncture group, once a week. The treatment was given consecutively for 8 weeks in each group. Before and after treatment, the obesity indices [weight, waistline, body mass index (BMI)], blood lipid indices[serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] and insulin resistance indices [fasting blood glucose(FBG), fasting plasma insulin(FINS), homeostasis model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)] were observed in the three groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, in the electroacupuncture group and the catgut embedding group, the results of the obesity indices, e.g. weight, waistline and BMI, the levels of blood lipid, e.g.TC, TG, LDL-C and the insulin resistance indices, e.g. FINS and HOMA-IR were all obviously decreased compared with those before treatment (P0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% in the catgut embedding group (27/30) and it was 83.3% (25/30) in the electroacupuncture group, either of them was better than 60.0% (18/30) in the education group , indicating the statistical significance (P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: On the base of health education, either the catgut embedding therapy or electroacupuncture of Jin's three-needle treatment achieves the positive regulation on the abnormal lipid metabolism and insulin resistance. The hypoglycemic effect and the impro-ving effect in LDL-C and HDL-C of the catgut embedding therapy are superior to electroacupuncture.

Effect of Acupoint Thread Embedding on the Peripheral Serum Leptin and Insulin Levels in Simple Obesity Patients / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint thread embedding on the peripheral serum leptin and insulin levels in simple obesity patients, and to further explore the mechanism of acupoint thread embedding in treating simple obesity.Method A total of 120 patients with simple obesity were randomized into a control group, an eletroacupuncture (EA) group and a thread embedding group, 40 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by diet plus exercise intervention, the EA group by EA treatment in addition to the intervention given to the control group and the thread embedding group by acupoint thread embedding treatment in addition to the intervention given to the control group. The levels of blood serum leptin and insulin in the three groups were observed before and after 2 treatment courses and the clinical efficacies were compared among the three groups.Result The total effective rate was 87.5% in the thread embedding group, 85.0% in the EA group, and 47.5% in the control group. The total effective rates in the thread embedding group and EA group were significantly different from the rate in the control group (P<0.05). The levels of the fasting serum leptin and insulin were significantly changed in the thread embedding group and EA group after the treatment (P<0.01). After the treatment, the levels of the fasting serum leptin and insulin in the thread embedding group and EA group were significantly different from those in the control group (P<0.01,P<0.05). The insulin level in the thread embedding group was better than that in the EA group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupoint thread embedding is an effective approach for simple obesity, and it can down-regulate the fasting peripheral serum leptin and insulin levels.

Effects of electroacupuncture on angiogenesis after ischemia and reperfusion / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To explore the effect of eletroacupuncture (EA) on angiogenesis after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion through observing the number of peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the hippocampus.Methods Among 50 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats,10 were randomly selected as a control group (CG).Qi deficiency and blood stasis were induced in the other 40 rats by intragastric administration of dahuang daily for 7 days.A model of focal cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury was then created by thread-occlusion of the middle cerebral artery,except in 10 rats selected for the sham operation group (SOG) who received the same operation without tightening the thread.The successfully modeled rats were divided into a model group (MG,n =10) and an electroacupuncture group (EAG,n =10).The rats in EAG started acupuncture treatment the next day after modeling,while no treatment was given to those in the other groups.On day 1,3 and 7 after the modeling,the neurological functioning of the 4 groups was assessed using Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan locomotion scoring and the number of EPCs in the peripheral circulation was detected by flow cytometry.On the 8th day,all the rats were decapitated and the VEGF expression was detected immunohistochemically.Results The average BBB locomotion score of the EAG rose significantly from (4.50 ± 1.05) on day 1,to (13.67 ± 1.21) on day 3,and then further to (20.00 ±0.89) by day 7,significantly higher than that of MG at the same time points,but still significantly lower than that of the control group.The average number of EPCs in the peripheral circulation in the MG also increased from (26.83 ± 6.05) on day 1 to (33.67 ± 5.39) on day 3,and decreased to (32.83 ± 5.04) on day 7 after modeling,significantly lower than that of the CG [(45.50 ±9.40),(42.17 ±4.62) and (41.33 ±5.50)],the SOG [(58.00 ±8.05),(59.67±4.84) and (53.83 ±5.38)[and the EAG [(66.17 ±4.36),(127.50 ±73.75) and (55.00 ±35.15)] at each time point.After occlusion,the average expression of VEGF-positive cells in the hippocampus of the EAG [(27.80 ± 2.39)％] was significantly higher than that of the MG,and both were significantly higher than that of the CG.Conclusions Eletroacupuncture can up-regulate VEGF expression and EPCs in the peripheral blood in rats after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion,which can promote angiogenesis and neural functional recovery.

Electro-acupuncture reduces the need for additional anesthetics in experimental studies / Eletroacupuntura reduz a necessidade de doses adicionais de anestésicos em estudos experimentais

PURPOSE: To evaluate the possible beneficial effects of electro-acupuncture in rats subjected to ketamine/xylazine (KX) intra-peritoneal (i.p.) anesthesia. METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were distributed in four equal groups. All rats received i.p. injections of ketamine (90 mg/kg) +xylazine (10 mg/kg) anesthesia. Basal values group (control) rats (BV) received no additional treatment. The equivalent of the human right ST36 (Zusanli) and CV-12(Zhongwan) acupoints were chosen for needling and electrical stimulation. AC rats were needled with sterilized disposable stainless steel needles at right ST36 and CV12 acupoints; needles were retained for 30 minutes. EAC10 rats, after needle insertion as described, had electrodes connected to both needles and to an electro stimulator model NKL EL-608; pulsed square waves, 10 Hz, 10 mA, was applied for 30 minutes. EAC100 rats were submitted to EA as described. However, a greater frequency (100 Hz) was used. RESULTS: Thirty-seven rats remained under adequate anesthetic level during the experiment. However, maintenance anesthesia was required by 11 rats. Need for additional anesthesia decreased to 9.1 percent in EAC100 rats compared to BV (36.3 percent). CONCLUSION: Both the AC and the EAC10/100 prolong the anesthetic effect of the combination Ketamine-xylazine in rats, allowing longer duration of anesthesia with a lower dose of anesthetic, thereby reducing the occurrence of complications.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar os possíveis efeitos benéficos da eletroacupuntura em ratos submetidos à anestesia intraperitoneal (i.p.) com ketamina / xilazina. MÉTODOS: Quarenta e oito ratos Wistar foram randomizados em quatro grupos iguais. Todos os ratos receberam injeções i.p. de ketamina (90 mg / kg) + xilazina (10 mg / kg). Os ratos do grupo Valores Basais (controle - BV) não receberam nenhum tratamento adicional. Os acupontos equivalentes aos humanos E-36 (Zusanli) e VC-12 (Zhongwan) foram escolhidos para inserção de agulhas e estimulação elétrica. Os ratos do grupo AC foram estimulados com agulhas esterilizadas descartáveis, de aço inoxidável, nos acupontos E-36 direito e VC12. As agulhas foram mantidas por 30 minutos. Nos ratos do grupo EAC10, após agulhamento, como descrito, eletrodos foram conectados às agulhas e ao eletro-estimulador modelo NKL EL-608 e aplicadas ondas quadradas pulsantes, 10 Hz, 10 mA, por 30 minutos. Os ratos do grupo EAC100 foram submetidos à EA como descrito. No entanto, uma maior freqüência (100 Hz) foi utilizada. RESULTADOS: Trinta e sete ratos permaneceram no nível anestésico adequado durante o experimento. No entanto, a manutenção da anestesia foi se fez necessária em 11 animais. Nos ratos do grupo EAC100 a necessidade de anestesia complementar diminuiu para 9,1 por cento em comparação com ratos do grupo BV (36,3 por cento). CONCLUSÃO: Tanto a AC como a EAC10/100 prolongam o efeito anestésico da combinação ketamina-xilazina em ratos, permitindo maior duração da anestesia com menor dose de anestésico, reduzindo assim a ocorrência de complicações.

Eletroacupuntura no reparo do tendão calcanear comum em coelhos após enxertia com peritônio bovino / Eletro-acupuncture in the rabbit acchiles tendon repair using bovine peritoneum graft

Avaliou-se o efeito da eletroacupuntura (EA) sobre os aspectos macroscópicos e microscópicos em 36 coelhos que tiveram o tendão calcanear comum seccionado e que, após 30 dias, receberam enxerto de peritônio bovino conservado em solução saturada de sal. Após a cirurgia, os animais foram distribuídos em três grupos de igual número: os do grupo E10 foram estimulados pela EA do segundo ao 11º dia de pós-operatório, os do grupo E20 do 11º ao 31º dia de pós-operatório e os do grupo C não foram estimulados. Posteriormente, os animais foram redistribuídos em três subgrupos de igual número, os quais foram observados no pós-operatório por 11, 31 e 91 dias. Nos coelhos do E10 e E20, ocorreu diminuição de aderência da área enxertada aos tecidos circunvizinhos. Aos 31 dias de pós-operatório, observou-se nos do E10 tecido conjuntivo. Verificou-se intensa neovascularização no local enxertado em todos os animais que receberam estímulo pela EA. Nos coelhos do E10, aos 91 dias, verificou-se intensa quantidade de tecido conjuntivo, com fibras colágenas organizadas e paralelas ao eixo do tendão. O estímulo pela EA na fase precoce do pós-operatório estimulou a maturação cicatricial com mínima reação inflamatória.

The effects of eletro-acupuncture (EA) were evaluated on clinical and histological aspects in 36 rabbits that had the acchiles tendon sectioned and grafted after 30 days using bovine peritoneum graft preserved in saturated salt solution. The animals were randomly distributed into three groups. They were stimulated by EA from the 2nd to the 11th post-operative day (S10 group), from the 11th to the 31st post-operative day (S20 group), and were not stimulated (C group). Then, the rabbits were distributed into three sub-groups and were observed for 11, 31, and 91 days. The rabbits from S10 and S20 groups presented decreased adhesions between graft and adjacent tissues. The rabbits from S10 group showed connective tissue at 31 days of the post-operative period. Intense graft neovascularization was observed in all animals stimulated by EA. Large amounts of connective tissue with organized and parallel to the tendon axis collagen fibers were detected on the day 91st in the S10 group animals. The early EA stimulation during the post-operative period stimulated the tendon healing with minimal inflammatory reaction.