Effects of acupuncture on behaviors and expression levels of 5-HT1AR and 5-HT2AR in the hippocampus of insomnia rats due to liver Qi stagnation / 针灸推拿医学（英文版）

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe the effects of liver-soothing spirit-regulating acupuncture on the behaviors and expression levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1A(5-HT1AR)and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A(5-HT2AR)in the hippocampus of insomnia rats due to liver Qi stagnation. Methods:Ten of the 70 Wistar rats were randomly selected as the blank group,and the remaining rats were subjected to preparing the insomnia model due to liver Qi stagnation by the chronic tail clamping stimulation combined with intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenyl alanine.Fifty successful model rats were randomly divided into a model group,a grasp group,a Western medicine group,an acupuncture group,and a sham acupuncture group,with 10 rats in each group.Rats in the grasp group were grabbed in the same way as those in the acupuncture group.Rats in the Western medicine group were given estazolam solution by intragastric administration.Rats in the acupuncture group received liver-soothing spirit-regulating acupuncture at Baihui(GV20),Neiguan(PC6),Shenmen(HT7),and Taichong(LR3);rats in the sham acupuncture group received acupuncture at 4 non-meridian non-point spots.All groups were treated once a day for 7 d.Pentobarbital sleep test was used to evaluate the sleep latency(SL)and sleep time(ST)of rats in each group after 7 d of intervention;the proportion of the number of entry into the open arms(OE％)and the proportion of the residence time in the open arms(OT％)were monitored by elevated plus maze test(EPMT);the open field test(OFT)was used to monitor the numbers of standing upright,horizontal cross-grid,and fecal grains in rats.The expression levels of 5-HT1AR and 5-HT2AR in rat hippocampus were detected by Western blotting. Results:The body mass gain,ST,OE％,OT％,upright standing times,horizontal cross-grid times,and the 5-HT1AR expression level in the hippocampus were significantly decreased(P<0.01),while the SL and 5-HT2AR expression level in the hippocampus were significantly increased(P<0.01)in the model group compared with the blank group.After intervention,the body mass,ST,OT％,OE％,upright standing times,horizontal cross-grid times,and hippocampal 5-HT1AR expression level were significantly increased(P<0.01 or P<0.05),while the SL and hippocampal 5-HT2AR expression level were significantly decreased(P<0.01 or P<0.05)in the acupuncture group and the Western medicine group compared with the grasp group.Compared with the Western medicine group,OT％,SL,and hippocampal 5-HT1AR expression level were significantly increased in the acupuncture group(P<0.05).The body mass,OT％,OE％,ST,upright standing times,horizontal cross-grid times,and the 5-HT1AR expression level in the hippocampus were significantly increased(P<0.01),while the SL and 5-HT2AR expression level in the hippocampus were significantly decreased(P<0.01)in the acupuncture group compared with the sham acupuncture group. Conclusion:Liver-soothing spirit-regulating acupuncture can not only improve sleep but also improve the abnormal behaviors and mood of insomnia rats due to liver Qi stagnation,and the improvement effect on abnormal mood is better than that of Western medicine.The mechanism may be related to the regulation of 5-HT1AR and 5-HT2AR