[Effect of Electroacupuncture Combined with Polysaccharide of Gastrodia elata Blume on Ex- pression of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in the Paraventricular Nucleus of Hypothalamus in Cerebral Ischemia Rat].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) of "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) in combination with administration of polysaccharide of Gastrodia elata Blume (PGB) on the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) in the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus(PVN) of cerebral ischemia (C) rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of Cl. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into five groups: normal control, model, EA, PGB, and EA+ PGB (n = 8/group). The cerebral ischemia model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). EA (2 Hz, 2 V) was applied to "Baihui" (GV 20) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 30 min, once daily for 14 days. The rats of the PGB and PGB+ EA groups were treated by intragastric gavage of PGB at a dose of 100 mg/kg, once daily for 14 successive days. The expression of BDNF and VEGF in the PVN of hypothalamus was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: After MCAO, the BDNF and VEGF immunoreactions (IR) positive neuron numbers and expression level in the PVN of the hypothalamus were significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05) and were further up-regulated after administration of EA and PBG ( P<0. 05). The effects of EA+ PGB were evidently superior to those of simple EA and simple PBG in up-regulating BDNF and VEGF IR-positive neuron numbers and expression levels in the PVN ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION: EA combined with PGB can up-regulate the expression of BDNF and VEGF in the PVN of hypothalamus in cerebral ischemia rats, which might contribute to its effect in improving cerebral ischemia.

[Effect of electroacupuncture intervention at different time-points in a day on expression of c-fos and neuronal nitric oxide synthase in medial prefrontal cortex in ketamine addiction rats].

UNLABELLED: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA) stimulation of "Zusanli"(ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) at different time-points of a day on the expression of c-fos and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in rats with ketamine addiction. METHODS: A total of 56 SD rats were randomized into control group, saline group, model group and EA group. The EA group was further divided into Zi-shi (23 : 00), Mao-shi (05 : 00), Wu-shi (11 : 00) and You-shi (17 : 00) subgroups (n = 8 in each group or subgroup). Ketamine addiction model was established by intraperitoneal administration of ketamine (100 mg/kg), once a day for 7 days. EA (2 Hz, 3 V) was applied to unilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) acupoints for 30 min, once daily for 7 days. The expression of c-fos and nNOS in the mPFC was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Following EA intervention for 7 days, the animals' daily life activities including body stretching, standing, jumping, circling, falling on the back and fur-licking in the EA group (Wu-shi and You-shi subgroups) were close to those of the normal control and saline groups, being much better than the model group. Compared with the normal control group and saline group, the expression levels of c-fos and nNOS in the mPFC in the model group were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of both c-fos and nNOS were considerably down-regulated in the Wu-shi (11 : 00) and You-shi (17 : 00) subgroups (P < 0.05), rather than in the Zi-shi (23 : 00) and Mao-shi (05 : 00) subgroups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA of ST 36 and SP 6 at 11 : 00 and 17 : 00 can decrease the expression o fc-fos and nNOS in the mPFC in ketamine addiction rats, which may contribute to its effects in improving the rats' behavior activity.

[Effects of electroacupuncture intervention at different time in A day on expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and C-fos in nucleus accumbens in ketamine addiction rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention at different time in a day on the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and c-fos in the Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of ketamine addiction. METHODS: A total of 56 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into normal control, normal saline (2 mL/kg), model and EA groups. The EA group was subdivided into Zi-Shi (23:00), Mao-Shi (05:00), Wu-Shi (11:00) and You-Shi (17: 00) subgroups. Ketamine addiction model was established by intraperitoneal administration of ketamine (100 mg/kg), once a day for 7 days. EA (2 Hz, 3 V) was applied to unilateral "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 30 min, once daily for 7 days. The expression of TH and c-fos in the NAc was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group and normal saline group, the numbers of TH and c-fos immunoreaction (IR)-positive neurons in NAc in the model group were upregulated significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of both TH and c-fos IR-positive neurons were down-regulated significantly in the Wu-Shi(11:00) and You-Shi (17:00) subgroups (P < 0.01), rather than in the Zi-Shi and Mao-Shi subgroups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA of "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) at 11:00 and 17:00 of the daytime can down-regulate ketamine addiction induced increase of expression of TH and c-fos in the NAc in ketamine addiction rats, which may contribute to its effect in relieving ketamine addiction symptoms in clinic.

[Effects of electroacupuncture combined with compound Salviae Miltiorrhizae tablet on the expressions of brain derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor in hippocampus CA1 of chronic cerebral ischemia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) combined with Compound Salviae Miltiorrhizae Tablet (CSMT) on the expressions of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hippocampus CA1 of chronic cerebral ischemia (CCI) rats. METHODS: Totally 50 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, the model group, the CSMT group, the EA group, and the EA +CSMT groups, 10 in each group. The CCI model was prepared by permanent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion. One week after modeling, CSMT at 0.75 g/kg was given to rats in the EA + CSMT group and the CSMT group by gastrogavage, once daily, for 5 successive weeks. EA at Baihui (DU20) and Dazhui (DU14) was performed to rats in the EA group and the EA + CSMT group, lasting for 30 min, once daily, for 5 successive weeks. The expressions of BDNF and VEGF in the hippocampus CA1 area were detected by immunohistochemical assay and image analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the number of positively expressed BDNF and VEGF neurons and their expression intensity in the hippocampus CA1 of the model group obviously decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the number of positively expressed BDNF and VEGF neurons and their expression intensity in the hippocampus CA1 of the CSMT group, the EA group, and the EA + CSMT groups obviously increased (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The number of positively expressed BDNF and VEGF neurons and their expression intensity were obviously higher in the EA + CSMT group than those of the CSMT group and the EA group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: EA combined with CSMT could significantly increase the expressions of BDNF and VEGF in the hippocampus CA1 of CCl rats. Besides, their effects were significantly higher than those of the CSMT group or the EA group.

[Effects of electroacupuncture on expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and c-fos in hippocampal CA 1 area in ketamine-addiction rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the morphological basis of electroacupuncture (EA) in relieving addiction of ketamine. METHODS: Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into normal control, normal saline (10 mL/kg), model and ketamine+ EA groups. Ketamine-addiction model was established by intraperitoneal administration of ketamine (100 mg/kg) , once a day for 7 days. EA (2 Hz) was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) for 30 min, once a day for 7 days. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and c-fos in the hippocampal CA 1 region was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In comparison with the normal control group and normal saline group, the numbers of both TH immune-reaction (IR)-positive and c-fos IR-positive neurons in the hippocampal region in the model group were increased significantly (P<0. 05, P<0. 01). Correspondingly, the expression of both TH IR-positive and c-fos IR-positive products in the hippocampal CA 1 region in the model group was upregulated evidently (P<0. 05, P<0. 01). After EA of "Zusanli" (ST 36)-"Sanyinjiao" (SP 6), compared with the model group, the expression of both TH IR-positive and c-fos IR-positive products was downregulated considerably (P<0. 01). CONCLUSION: EA of "Zusanli"(ST 36)-"Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can downregulate ketamine-addiction induced increase of expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and c-fos in the hippocampal CA 1 region in ketamine-addiction rats, which may contribute to its effect in relieving ketamine addiction symptoms in clinic.

[Effect of different needle-retained time of electroacupuncture on expression of nitric oxide synthase in the septum of the rat].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the relationship of different needle-retained time with therapeutic effects. METHODS: Forty experimental rats were evenly randomized into 5 groups, electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST 36) for 5 min, 15 min, 30 min and 60 min groups, who received EA for 5, 15, 30 and 60 min respectively, and a control group who did not receive EA. Nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) method and computer image analysis system were used to detect the meangray of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) positive neurons in the septum. RESULTS: NOS positive neurons in the septum did not change as the EA for 5 min group compared with the control group (P > 0.05); the number of heavily staining NOS positive neurons increased significantly (P < 0.05) and the meangray of the NOS positive neurons significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in some septal subnuclei (lateral septum, and medial septum, vertical diagnonal band) after EA for 15, 30, 60 min as compared with the control group, and the numbers and the meangray of the NOS positive neurons in the septum were not significantly difference among the 3 EA groups. CONCLUSION: NOS expression in the septum increases and keeps a same level from EA for 15 min to 60 min.