Neuroplasticity of Acupuncture for Stroke: An Evidence-Based Review of MRI.

Acupuncture is widely recognized as a potentially effective treatment for stroke rehabilitation. Researchers in this area are actively investigating its therapeutic mechanisms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as a noninvasive, high anatomical resolution technique, has been employed to investigate neuroplasticity on acupuncture in stroke patients from a system level. However, there is no review on the mechanism of acupuncture treatment for stroke based on MRI. Therefore, we aim to summarize the current evidence about this aspect and provide useful information for future research. After searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases, 24 human and five animal studies were identified. This review focuses on the evidence on the possible mechanisms underlying mechanisms of acupuncture therapy in treating stroke by regulating brain plasticity. We found that acupuncture reorganizes not only motor-related network, including primary motor cortex (M1), premotor cortex, supplementary motor area (SMA), frontoparietal network (LFPN and RFPN), and sensorimotor network (SMN), as well as default mode network (aDMN and pDMN), but also language-related brain areas including inferior frontal gyrus frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes, as well as cognition-related brain regions. In addition, acupuncture therapy can modulate the function and structural plasticity of post-stroke, which may be linked to the mechanism effect of acupuncture.

Dihydroartemisinin attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute kidney injury by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress.

Septic acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious complication of sepsis in critically ill patients associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, the treatment of septic AKI has still been beyond satisfaction. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) is a semisynthetic derivative of artemisinin and is proposed as a potential agent for treating cancer and inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of DHA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI and the underlying mechanism. Male C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with or without DHA (20 mg/kg/d) for two days, and then were treated with one dose LPS (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneal injection to induce septic AKI. Twenty-four hours after LPS injection, blood samples and kidneys were collected for evaluation. The results indicated that DHA significantly ameliorated LPS-induced AKI as evidenced by improvement of renal function (serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen), amelioration of renal pathological injury, and inhibition of tubular cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, DHA also strikingly attenuated inflammatory response, suppressed NF-κB signaling pathway activation, and inhibited oxidative stress in LPS-challenged mice. In conclusion, DHA could protect against LPS-induced AKI possibly by anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.