Electroacupuncture Alleviates Pain Responses and Inflammation in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Rats via Suppressing the TLR2/4-MyD88-NF-B Signaling Pathway.

Results: EA intervention and OxPAPC injection could relieve mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia caused by CIA. Paw edema and pathological damage of synovium were significantly ameliorated after EA intervention and OxPAPC injection. Furthermore, EA intervention and OxPAPC injection markedly reduced the contents of serum TNF-, IL-1, and IL-6, as well as the protein expression levels of synovial TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and NF-B p-p65.

[Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on bone and cartilage destruction in rats with rheumatoid arthritis].

Objective: To observe the alleviating effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on articular cartilage and bone destruction in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), and explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms of taVNS against rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: The male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (=12), model group (=12), and taVNS group (=12). The CIA rat model was established by multi-point injection of emulsion prepared from type Ⅱ bovine collagen and Freund's incomplete adjuvant into the root of rat tail.

[Effect of electroacupuncture on articular morphological changes and serum inflammatory factors and synovial MMPs in collagen-induced arthritis rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Zusanli"(ST36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP6) on serum TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and expression of synovial matrimetalloproteinases (MMPs) and articular morphology in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying relief of arthritis.

Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, CIA model and EA groups (n=10 rats per group). The arthritis model was induced by multi-point intradermal injection of bovine type Ⅱ collagen emulsion.

Contribution of GABAergic modulation in DRGs to electroacupuncture analgesia in incisional neck pain rats.

Purpose: Acupuncture therapy is effective for relieving postoperative pain. Our previous study showed that electroacupuncture (EA) at Futu (LI18) and Hegu (LI4)-Neiguan (PC6) could alleviate incisional neck pain, which was related with its effect in upregulating γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) expression in cervical (C3-6) dorsal root ganglions (DRGs); but whether its receptor subsets GABAα2R and GABAR1 in C3-6 DRGs are involved in EA analgesia or not, it remains unknown.

Materials And Methods: Seventy-five male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to normal control, model, LI18, LI4-PC6, and Zusanli (ST36)-Yanglingquan (GB34) groups.

[Electroacupuncture of Multiple Acupoints Is Significantly Superior to That of Single Acupoint in Improving Sleep by Regulating Serum Sleep-promoting and Awakening-promoting Factors in Insomnia Rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of single and multiple acupoints on sleep and concentrations of interlukin-1 β(IL-1 β), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), prostaglandin D(PGD) and melatonin (MLT, sleep-promoting factors) and corticosterone (CORT, awakening-promoting factor) in the serum in insomnia rats, so as to explore its efficacy difference and the mechanism underlying improving sleep.

Methods: Fifty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, EA-Baihui (GV 20), EA-Shenmen (HT 7), EA-Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and EA-GV 20＋HT 7＋SP 6 groups (＝9 rats in each group). The insomnia model was established by intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 300 mg/kg) once daily for 2 days.

[High Mobility Group Box 1/ CD 24 Receptor/β-EP Signaling in "Zusanli" (ST 36) Region Contributes to Electroacupuncture Analgesia in Rats with Neuropathic Pain].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB 1) and its receptor CD 24 proteins and β-endorphin (β-EP) content in "Zusanli" (ST 36) region in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying pain relief.

Methods: Thirty male Wistar rats were rando-mized into control, CCI model and EA groups (＝ 10 rats in each). The neuropathic pain model was established by ligature of the left sciatic nerve to induce CCI in the model and EA groups, and sham operation was performed in rats of the control group.

[Effects of Electroacupuncture on Activities of Satellite Glial Cells of Dorsal Root Ganglia in Rats with Neck Incision Pain].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Futu"(LI 18), etc. on activities of satellite glial cells (SGCs) in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in rats with neck-incision pain so as to explore its mechanism underlying reduction of post-surgical pain of thyroidectomy.

Methods: Male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, EA-Futu (LI 18), EA-Hegu (LI 4)-Neiguan (PC 6), and EA-Zusanli (ST 36)-Yanglingquan (GB 34) groups, with 20 rats in each group.

[Transcutaneous Electrostimulation of Auricular Otopoints Reduces Epileptic Attack Possibly by Suppressing Hippocampal Gliocyte Proliferation and Regulating IL-6 and IL-10 Expression in Chronic Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of transcutaneous otopoint electrostimulaiton (TCOES) on seizure frequency, immunoreactivity of hippocampal gliocytes and expression of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6(IL-6) and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (CTLE) rats, so as to investigate its antiepileptic mechanism.

Methods: Thirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and TCOES groups (=12 in each group). The CTLE model was established by intraperitoneal injection (i.

Effect of electroacupuncture on thermal pain threshold and expression of calcitonin-gene related peptide, substance P and γ-aminobutyric acid in the cervical dorsal root ganglion of rats with incisional neck pain.

Objective: Acupuncture therapy effectively reduces post-surgical pain, but its mechanism of action remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether expression of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the neuropeptides substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the primary sensory neurons of cervical dorsal root ganglia (DRG) are involved in electroacupuncture (EA)-induced analgesia in a rat model of incisional neck pain.

Methods: The pain model was established by making a longitudinal midline neck incision in 60 rats.

Activation of hippocampal MEK1 contributes to the cumulative antinociceptive effect of electroacupuncture in neuropathic pain rats.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) intervention can relieve a variety of pain; however, optimal EA protocols have not been clearly determined. In addition, although central mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) signaling has been shown to be involved in the antinociceptive effect of acupuncture stimulation, its characteristics at different time-points of EA intervention have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between the effects of different numbers of EA intervention sessions and the activation of MEK1 in the hippocampus and hypothalamus in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

[Effects of Transcutaneous Electrostimulation of Auricular Points on Behavior and Hippocampal IL-1 β and TNF-α Expression in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of transcutaneous otopoint electrostimulation (TCOES) on behavior and expression of hippocampal interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in lithium-pilocarpine induced chronic spontaneous temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) rats, so as to investigate its antiepileptic mechanism.

Methods: Thirty-six SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and TCOES groups (=12 in each group). The epilepsy model was established by intraperitoneal injection of lithium chloride (127.

NK cells mediate the cumulative analgesic effect of electroacupuncture in a rat model of neuropathic pain.

Background: Cumulating evidence has revealed the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy in relieving pain via immunoregulation. However, its underlying mechanism remains unknown. The present study was designed to determine the changes of immunogenic responses at different time-points of electroacupuncture (EA) interventions in neuropathic pain rats.

[Effect of electroacupuncture at different acupoints on expression of cervico-spinal GDNF and BDNF and their receptor genes in neck-incision pain rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Futu" (LI 18), etc. on the expression of genes of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and their receptors in the cervico-spinal cord in neck-incision pain rats, so as to study its mechanism underlying incision-pain relief.

Methods: A total of 50 Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into normal, model (incision pain), EA-Futu (LI 18), EA- Hegu (LI 4) - Neiguan (PC 6, LI 4-PC 6) and EA-Zusanli (ST 36)-Yanglingquan (GB 34, ST 36-GB 34) groups (n = 10/group).

[Influence of electroacupuncture on efficacy of estrogen in regulating hypothalamic reproductive endocrine activity in rats].

Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the efficacy of estrogen-induced regulation of reproductive endocrine in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into control, model (OVX), EA-Guanyuan(CV 4), Estrogen (E) and EA+ E groups (n = 6 in each group). OVX model was duplicated by removing the bilateral ovaries.

Experimental study on acupuncture activating the gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons in hypothalamus.

Objective: To probe into the most effective site, extra-ordinary point, acupoint and channel for regulating reproductive endocrine function by means of the study on acupuncture activating the gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons (GnRH) in hypothalamus.

Methods: Female SD rats of reproductive age were used, and the in vivo study on GnRH neurons in hypothalamus was made with mimic sexual stimulation and feedback regulation. The neuron-activating effects of the acupoints on the channels pertaining to the zang- and fu-organs related with reproductive endocrine and the extra-ordinary points in different regions were studied using the discharge of the neuron as index, and then the neurons were labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP).

[Application of molecular biological techniques to the study on acupuncture and moxibustion].

In the present paper, the authors introduce recent progress of application of molecular biological techniques in the studies on the underlying mechanism of acupuncture therapy for 1) resisting inflammation and relieving pain, 2) resisting tumors, 3) improving ischemic cerebral and myocardial injury, and 4) delaying aging from gene transcription and expression (synthesis of mRNA); and for relieving sciatic nerve injury, spinal traumatic injury, and cerebral ischemia from protein expression or phosphorylation. In addition, the authors also make a preliminary analysis on the extant problems of the application of techniques of both genomics and proteomics in acupuncture research at the present and predict their applicable prospect.

[Changes of cutaneous temperature and the activity of Ca2+- and Mg2+ -ATPase in the tissues along the running course of meridians in rabbit].

Objective: To study the interrelation between the change of temperature and Ca2+-, Mg2+ -ATPase activity in the tissues along the running course of meridians in the rabbit.

Methods: Seven healthy mongrel rabbits were used in this study. Before and after moxibustion of "Zusanli" (ST36) and "Yinlingquan" (SP9), the cutaneous temperature along the Stomach Meridian and Spleen Meridian was detected with an infra-red thermography.