[Experimental study on Shuigou (GV 26) of inhibiting effect for neuronal necrosis in rats: morphological evidence of the specificity of acupoint].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of acupoint Shuigou (GV 26) and non-acupoint on inhibiting the neuronal necrosis induced by the middle cerebral artery obstruction (MCAO) in rats through the morphological observation. METHODS: Forty two healthy adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group, false-ope ration group, model control group, non-acupuncture group, Shuigou-acupuncture group and non-acupoint acupuncture group, 7 rats in each group. Besides the normal and false-operation groups, the experimental modal of MCAO was established in the other groups by using the Zea-Longa thread method. Acupoint Shuigou (GV 26) and non-acupoint (below the costal region) were selected respectively in the Shuigou-acupuncture group and non-acupoint acupuncture group for puncturing at 180 times/min for 5 seconds. Its effect was estimated by measuring the rate of the neuronal necrosis at the level of the light microscope and the degree of the neuronal necrosis at the level of the electron microscope. RESULTS: (1) At the level of the light microscope, comparing with the model control group (0.66 +/- 0.18), of the neuronal necrosis there were no significant differences in the rate of neuronal necrosis in the non-acupuncture group (0.67 +/- 0.34) and non-acupoint acupuncture group (0.59 +/- 0.11) (both P > 0.05), while it was significantly decreased in the Shuigou-acupuncture group (0.200 +/- 12) (P < 0.05). It indicates that no intervention and wrong (non-acupoint) intervention could light the damage of the neurons, however, only right intervention (Shuigou, GV 26) can obviously decrease the rate of the neuronal necrosis, showing with the specificity of acupoint. (2) At the level of the electron microscope, the ultrastructure of the involved neurons in the non-acupuncture group and non-acupoint acupuncture group is similar to that of the model control group, showing with the serious edema and structure damage. In contrast, the ultrastructure of the involved neurons in the Shuigou-acupuncture group is similar to that of the normal group and false-operation group, showing with light neuronal damage. CONCLUSION: Acupuncturing Shuigou (GV 26) could protect the involved neurons and inhibit the neuronal necrosis induced by the MCAO in rats, but acupuncturing the non-acupoint couldn't, which imply that there is the specificity of acupoint in the acupuncture.

[Effects of acupuncture at different acupoints on cerebral blood flow in cerebral ischemia model rats].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into effective methods for treatment of ischemic cerebral infarction and specificity of acupoints in the acupuncture treatment. METHODS: The rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was established with thread ligation according to Zea-Longa's method. They were divided into normal group, non-operation group, model control group, non-acupuncture group and acupuncture group, and the acupuncture group was divided into sham-acupuncture group and four Xingnao Kaiqiao groups (contain Shuigou group, Neiguan group, Chize group, Sanyinjiao group and Weizhong group). Then they were treated by acupuncture at "Shuigou" (GV 26), "Neiguan" (PC 6), "Chize" (LU 5), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6), "Weizhong" (BL 40) and non-acupoints, 3 times/second, for 5 seconds. Cerebral blood blow (CBF) was used for assessment of the effect. RESULTS: As compared with the model control group, in the non-acupuncture group CBF did not significantly change (P>0.05); compared with the non-acupuncture group, after acupuncture CBF was significantly increased in the Shuigou group and the Neiguan groups (all P<0.05), but did not significantly increased in the Chize group, Sanyinjiao group and Weizhong group (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: CBF has a tendency of spontaneous cure within 72 h after cerebral infarction in the MCAO rat; acupuncture can significantly improve CBF in the MCAO rat, so it is an effective method for treatment of ischemic stroke; among the acupoints in the "Xingnao Kaiqiao" needling method, "Shuigou" (GV 26) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) have obvious effect in improvement of CBF, indicating acupoint specificity of "Shuigou" (GV 26) and "Neiguan" (PC 6) in treatment of ischemic stroke.

[Study on optimum stimulation parameter for Shuigou (GV 26) in Xingnao Kaiqiao needling method].

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the influence of acupuncture parameter on acupuncture effect and to probe the optimum stimulation parameter for Shuigou (GV 26) in Xingnao Kaiqiao needling method. METHODS: The rat model of middle cerebral artery obstruction (MCAO) was replicated and "Shuigou" (GV 26) was stimulated by 9 acupuncture parameters combined by two factors at 3 levels, i. e. frequency 1, 2, 3 times/second, and needling duration 5 s, 60 s, 180 s. The effects of acupuncture at "Shuigou" (GV 26) with the 9 different acupuncture parameters on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the MCAO rat were investigated by orthogonal test, factor analysis and one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Acupuncture effect was influenced by acupuncture frequency, acupuncture duration and their combination. Among them, the acupuncture duration was the most important factor. The best acupuncture effect could be attained by using as long acupuncture duration as possibly with the fastest acupuncture frequency. CONCLUSION: In the Xingnao Kaiqiao needling method, acupuncture at "Shuigou" (GV 26) with fastest frequency and enough long duration can get the best acupuncture effect, which are the optimum stimulation parameters for "Shuigou" (GV 26).