Moxibustion attenuates neurogenic detrusor overactivity in spinal cord injury rats by inhibiting M2/ATP/P2X3 pathway.

Purpose: Activation of muscarinic receptors located in bladder sensory pathways is generally considered to be the primary contributor for driving the pathogenesis of neurogenic detrusor overactivity following spinal cord injury. The present study is undertaken to examine whether moxibustion improves neurogenic detrusor overactivity via modulating the abnormal muscarinic receptor pathway.

Materials And Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to spinal cord injury with T9-10 spinal cord transection.

Effects of Electroacupuncture at Different Acupoints on Functional Dyspepsia Rats.

Although, acupoint specificity is regarded as the core of scientific issues in electroacupuncture (EA), the difference of EA on treating functional dyspepsia (FD) at different acupoints is unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the different therapeutic effects of EA at lower extremity or abdominal acupoints on the mucosal integrity and lower-inflammatory response in FD. The intragastric administration of iodoacetamide (IA) was performed in 48 rats to establish the FD model.

Electroacupuncture ameliorates intestinal inflammation by activating α7nAChR-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in postoperative ileus.

Inflammatory cytokines produced by muscularis macrophages largely contribute to the pathological signs of postoperative ileus (POI). Electroacupuncture (EA) can suppress inflammation, mainly or partly via activation of vagal efferent. The goal of this study was to investigate the mechanisms by which EA stimulation at an hindlimb region ameliorates inflammation in POI.

Acupuncture Improves White Matter Perfusion and Integrity in Rat Model of Vascular Dementia: An MRI-Based Imaging Study.

White matter lesions induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion are associated with cognitive impairment in vascular dementia (VaD). Previous studies have shown that acupuncture can ameliorate the cognitive deficits of individuals with VaD. However, the neuroimaging mechanisms of acupuncture on white matter perfusion and integrity remain elusive.

Mechanisms of Acupuncture in the Regulation of Oxidative Stress in Treating Ischemic Stroke.

Ischemic stroke is the major type of cerebrovascular disease usually resulting in death or disability among the aging population globally. Oxidative stress has been closely linked with ischemic stroke. Disequilibrium between excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inherent antioxidant capacity leads to subsequent oxidative damage in the pathological progression of ischemic brain injury.

Acupuncture attenuates cognitive deficits through α7nAChR mediated anti-inflammatory pathway in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats.

Aims: Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) elicits inflammatory response, which contributes to the pathology of cognitive impairment. Several studies demonstrate that the alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) can be a key component to modulate the inflammatory responses. We have reported previously that acupuncture attenuated cognitive deficits induced by CCH.

Standardizing therapeutic parameters of acupuncture in vascular dementia rats.

Introduction: Despite acupuncture having been successfully used for the clinical treatment for vascular dementia in Asian countries for centuries, scientifically rigorous evidence is lacking for standardizing therapeutic parameters. To address this problem, it is necessary to examine the parameters of acupuncture using scientific methodology. The goal of this study is to investigate various therapeutic parameters, including manipulation, retention, and frequency of acupuncture, and their contribution to the efficacy of acupuncture in VD.

[Challenges and enlightenments of SPARC program on acupuncture and moxibustion researches in China].

The advantages of western medical research were analyzed and the differences between skin nerve stimulation in western medicine and acupuncturemoxibustion in TCM were compared, so as to inspire the scientific researches of acupuncture and moxibustion in China. The related literature was searched and the research basis, content and achievements of the American stimulating peripheral activity to relief condition (SPARC) program were systematically summarized. From the perspectives of theoretical system, stimulation site, stimulation method and mechanism of action, the similarities and differences between skin nerve stimulation in western medicine and acupuncturemoxibustion in TCM were compared.

Effects of electroacupuncture on the intestinal motility and local inflammation are modulated by acupoint selection and stimulation frequency in postoperative ileus mice.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA) is widely used in various gastrointestinal diseases around the world, including POI. Here, we investigated different therapeutic effects of EA using lower limb and abdomen acupoints.

Methods: Intestinal manipulation was performed in 88 mice, and eight mice underwent a sham operation.

Acupuncture attenuates cognitive impairment, oxidative stress and NF-κB activation in cerebral multi-infarct rats.

Backgroud: Patients with multiple infarct dementia (MID) have subtle deficits that commonly go unnoticed, and are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Oxidative stress induced by ischaemic injury results in intracellular calcium accumulation and neuronal apoptosis, leading to cognitive impairment by triggering various cellular signal transduction pathways. Several studies have suggested that NF-κB in the presence of p53 has a pro-apoptotic function in various models, but the mechanism is unclear.

Gene-Level Regulation of Acupuncture Therapy in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: A Whole Transcriptome Analysis.

Hypertension is a global health problem. It has been reported that acupuncture at Taichong acupoints (LR3) decreases high blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. A transcriptome analysis can profile gene expression and its relationship with acupuncture.

Acupuncture Prevents the Impairment of Hippocampal LTP Through β1-AR in Vascular Dementia Rats.

It is widely accepted that the synaptic dysfunction and synapse loss contribute to the cognitive deficits of vascular dementia (VD) patients. We have previously reported that acupuncture improved cognitive function in rats with VD. However, the mechanisms involved in acupuncture improving cognitive ability remain to be elucidated.

Applications of Acupuncture Therapy in Modulating Plasticity of Central Nervous System.

Objective: Acupuncture is widely applied for treatment of various neurological disorders. This manuscript will review the preclinical evidence of acupuncture in mediating neural plasticity, the mechanisms involved.

Materials And Methods: We searched acupuncture, plasticity, and other potential related words at the following sites: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and VIP information data base.

Acupuncture inhibits TXNIP-associated oxidative stress and inflammation to attenuate cognitive impairment in vascular dementia rats.

Aims: Oxidative stress and inflammation have been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia (VD). Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) plays a vital role in oxidative stress and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation. There is evidence that acupuncture has an antioxidative and neuroprotective effect in VD.

Acupuncture Attenuated Vascular Dementia-Induced Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation Impairments via Activation of D1/D5 Receptors.

Background And Purpose: Emerging evidence suggests that acupuncture could improve cognitive impairment in vascular dementia by enhancing synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether dopamine, a key mediator of synaptic plasticity, is involved in this cognitive improvement.

Methods: Vascular dementia model was established by bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion in male Wistar rats.