Influence of electroacupuncture on the expression of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the spinal injured area of the rats with acute spinal cord injury / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the rats with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) and explore the potential effect mechanism of EA in treatment of acute SCI.@*METHODS@#A total of 80 SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, i.e. a sham-operation group, a model group, an AMPA antagonist (DNQX) group, an EA group and a DNQX+EA group, 16 rats in each group. The modified Allen's impacting method was adopted to prepare the rat model of acute SCI at T@*RESULTS@#Compared to the sham-operation group in 6 h, 24 h and 48 h after modeling, the BBB scores were all significantly decreased in the model group (@*CONCLUSION@#The intervention with EA at "Dazhui" and "Mingmen" promotes the repair of the injured nerve in the spinal anterior horn probably through inhibiting GluR1 expression in the spinal injured area in the rats with acute SCI.

Combination treatment with Gua Sha and Blood-letting causes attenuation of systemic inflammation, activated coagulation, tissue ischemia and injury during heatstroke in rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Gua Sha and Blood-letting at the acupoints were Chinese traditional therapies for heatstroke. The purpose of present study was to assess the therapeutic effect of Gua Sha on the DU Meridian and Bladder Meridian combined with Blood-letting acupoints at Shixuan (EX-UE 11) and Weizhong (BL 40) on heatstroke.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Anesthetized rats, immediately after the onset of heatstroke, were divided into four major groups: Gua Sha group, Blood-letting group, Gua Sha combined with Blood-letting group and model group. They were exposed to ambient temperature of 43 °C to induce heatstroke. Another group of rats were exposed to room temperature (26 °C) and used as normal control group. Their survival times were measured. In addition, their physiological and biochemical parameters were continuously monitored.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>When rats underwent heatstroke, their survival time values were found to be 21-25 min. Treatment of Gua Sha combined with Bloodletting greatly improved the survival time (230±22 min) during heatstroke. All heatstoke animals displayed and activated coagulation evidenced by increased prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), D-dimer, and decreased platelet count, protein C. Furthermore, the animals displayed systemic inflammation evidenced by increased the serum levels of cytokines interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Biochemical markers evidenced by cellular ischemia and injury/dysfunction included increased plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were all elevated during heatstroke. Core temperatures (Tco) were also increased during heatstroke. In contrast, the values of mean arterial pressure were signifificantly lower during heatstroke. These heatstroke reactions were all signifificantly suppressed by treatment of Gua Sha and Blood-letting, especially the combination therapy.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Gua Sha combined with Blood-letting after heatstroke may improve survival by ameliorating systemic inflflammation, hypercoagulable state, and tissue ischemia and injury in multiple organs.</p>

Effect of electroacupuncture on the pathomorphology of the sciatic nerve and the sensitization of P2X₃ receptors in the dorsal root ganglion in rats with chronic constrictive injury / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the pathomorphology of the sciatic nerve and the role of P2X3 receptors in EA analgesia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The chronic constriction injury (CCI) model was adopted in this study. A total of 32 rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham CCI, CCI, CCI plus contralateral EA (CCI + conEA) and CCI plus ipsilateral EA (CCI + ipsEA). Mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were measured. EA began at day 7 after the CCI operation and was applied to the Zusanli (ST 36) and Yanglingquan acupoints (GB 34). At day 14, the pathomorphologic changes of the operated sciatic nerve were demonstrated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. In addition, dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons isolated from rats were examined by electrophysiological recording to determine if the P2X3 receptor agonists, adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium (ATP) and α,β-methylen-ATP (α,β-meATP) evoked inward currents.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pain thresholds in the CCI group were obviously decreased post CCI surgery (P<0.01). In the EA groups, thermal and mechanical threshold values were increased after the last EA treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in light microscopic examination among the four groups (P>0.05). Current amplitude after application of ATP and α,β-meATP in DRG neurons were much larger in the CCI group compared to those obtained in sham CCI (P<0.05). ATP and α, β-meATP invoked amplitudes in the CCI + EA groups were reduced. There was no signififi cant difference between the CCI + conEA group and the CCI + ipsEA group (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>EA analgesia may be mediated by decreasing the response of P2X3 receptors to the agonists ATP and α,β-meATP in the DRG of rats with CCI. No pathological changes of the sciatic nerve of rats were observed after EA treatment.</p>

Effects of acupuncture on different acupoints in combination with rehabilitation on hemiplegic muscle spasticity in hemiplegia patients / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effect of hemiplegic muscle spasticity treated with acupuncture on different acupoints in combination with rehabilitation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety cases of post-stroke muscle spasticity were randomized into a corresponding and central axis acupuncture group (group A), a conventional acupuncture group (group B) and a rehabilitation group (group C), 30 cases in each one. In group A, the acupoints on the Governor Vessel were mainly selected, as well as those on Hand-Shaoyang meridian and Foot-Taiyang meridian. In group B, the conventional needling and rehabilitation training were applied in combination, of which, the acupoints were mainly from Hand and Foot-Yangming meridians, associated with the acupoints of Shaoyang meridian. In group C, only rehabilitation training was applied. The assessments according to modified Ashworth scale and CSS score were performed before treatment, after 2 weeks and 4 weeks treatment respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The level of modified Ashworth scale of the flexor of elbow and wrist was reduced apparently after treatment in group A as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.01). The level of modified Ashworth scale of the flexor of elbow was reduced apparently after treatment in group C as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05). There was significant difference on the level change in modified Ashworth scale for the flexor of elbow between group A and group C after 4 weeks treatment (P < 0.05). CSS score decreased significantly in group A as compared with that before treatment (P < 0.01), the improvement after treatment in group A was apparent as compared with the other two groups (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The corresponding and central axis acupuncture can improve muscle tone of hemiplegic limb, which is superior to the effect achieved by the conventional acupuncture in combination with rehabilitation training and the simple rehabilitation training.</p>