| 1 Background, purpose and significance of the researchEpilepsy is a kind of chronic cerebral disease caused by a set of different factors, characterized as disorders of central nervous system induced by unusual electrical activity in the brain cells, having the tendency of repeated attack. Clinical manifestations show disorders of movement, sensation, consciousness, autonomic nervous system. Epilepsy is one of the commonly-seen diseases of nervous system. The epidemiological investigation of epilepsy by WHO and China National Cerebrovascular Disease Prevention & Treatment Center showed that the all-life morbidity rate is 7‰ in China, approaching to 7.2‰ in the developing countries reported by WHO. It is deduced that there are 8 millions cases of epilepsy in all round the country, and 400,000 newly cases arising per year, distributed in the age groups of children and teenage, and the poor regions such as the countryside. Most of the epilepsy cases are difficult to be cured. The repeated attack or even lingering through the life damage to the labor and health and decrease the life quality of the patients, giving a heavy mental and economic burden on the patients family and the society. Therefore, WHO and the world pay more attention to the prevention & treatment of epilepsy.Since now, great effects have achieved in the treatment of epilepsy with drugs and surgery. However, problems such as side effects of the drugs, aversion to reoccurrence and expensive surgical fee still exist. Therefore, a simple, cheap, effective and safe therapy is expected. At all times, researchers have great interest on the study of epilepsy. The Chinese Scientific and Technological Database shows that, there are over ten thousand articles about epilepsy from 1989 to 2004 and over 1500 in 2004. The epilepsy research supplies evidence for the etiology and pathological mechanism and lights interest of human on her brain physiology and pathology.In the field of the science of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are rich clinical experience and therapy for epilepsy since years. Catgut embedding therapy is one of the effective methods, which has the advantages of easy to absorbing, lasting and mildneedling sensation as compared with acupuncture.Recently, research of the pathogenic mechanism of epilepsy showed that neuron apoptosis exists in several kinds of epilepsy animal models. Cell apoptosis is related to the expression of P53,bcl-2 and c-jun. P53 can induce the blocking of cell cycle and apoptosis and promote differentiation, bcl-2 has an inhibitory effect on cell apoptosis and a preventive effect on brain cells.It is proved that the increase of excitatory amino acid and the decrease of inhibitory amino acid have an important role in reducing the incidence of epilepsy. The excitatory amino acids includes Glu, GABA, Gly and Tau. The abundant release of Glu and the insufficient secretion of GABA induce the persistent excitation of neurons. The excitatory toxicity of Glu causes the damage of neurons.On the basis of the above achievements, we observe the effect of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on hippocampal neurons apoptosis and the expression of associated genes, as well as the effect on cerebral contents of excitatory amino acid and inhibitory amino acid. We aim to explore the possible therapeutic effect of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on subcellular and molecular levels, thus to supply evidence for the clinical application of this therapy.2 Methods21. Articles reviewThe etiology and pathogenesis of epilepsy in the field of TCM were reviewed, as well as its treatment with herbal medicine, acupuncture and acupoint catgut embedding. The etiology, pathogenic mechanism and treatment of epilepsy in the field of modern medicine were also summarized and discussed.2.2 Experimental study2.2.1 Aminal grouping: the rats was randomized into normal group, model group, catgut embedding group, acupuncture group and positive control group, 8 rats in each group.2.2.2 Acute Status epilepticus model was established by intraperitoneal injection of bemegride20mg/kg(2mg/100g).2.2.3 Baihui, Dazhui and bilateral Xinshu points were chosen for acupoint catgut embedding therapy.2.2.4 Effects of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on rats hippocampal neurons apoptosis and the expression of associated genes p53 and bcl-2 were observed.2.2.5 The effects of acupoint catgut embedding therapy on cerebral contents of Glu, GABA, Gly and Tau were also observed.All of the data is expressed by (*±s) and analyzed with SPSS 11.0 statisticalsoftware. The single-factor analysis of variance is adopted: when the variance is homogeneous, use LSD method; when not, use Dunnett T3 method. The level for testing the homogeneity of variance is a , =0.05 and that for significance is a 2=0.05. 3 Results and conclusion3.1 Results3.1.1 The rat model of epilepsy is established successfully, Three to five minutes after injection of bemegride, convulsion at grade I- II are induced and lasted several seconds or above, and then manifested as convulsive spasm lid muscles, starring, nodding, erection of tails, pale ears and lip, spasm of bilateral forefoot or extension of posterior limbs, head turning right or left, and then manifested as convulsion at grade IV — V: extremities convulsion, some falling to the ground, rolling, unconscious of urination and defecation, lasting 15-20 minutes. Suspending for 1-3 minutes, convulsion at grade IV appeared again.3.1.2 After treatment, apoptotic cell number is decreased and p53 protein expression is reduced, bcl-2 protein expression increased in catgut embedding group, acupuncture group and positive control group. The effect on p53 and bcl-2 expression in positive control group is better than that in catgut embedding group and acupuncture group, the difference being not significant.3.1.3 Glu content is decreased and the contents of GABA, Gly and Tau are increased in catgut embedding group, acupuncture group and positive control group.3.2 Conclusion3.2.1 Acute persistent epilepsy model can be established by intraperitoneal injection of bemegride successfully. The frequently-used acupoints of Baihui, Dazhui and Xinshu have certain effect for acupuncture and catgut embedding.3.2.2 Acupoint catgut embedding therapy can inhibit the rat hippocampal neurons apoptosis and has protective effect on neurons after the attack of epilepsy.3.2.3 The decrease of p53 protein expression and the increase of bcl-2 protein expression may be the mechanism of ccupoint catgut embedding therapy in reducing cell apoptosis.3.2.4 After treatment with acupoint catgut embedding, western medicine and acupuncture, the raised Glu content is decreased and the lowered GABA, Gly and Tau contents are increased.3.2.5 In this study, the difference in catgut embedding group, acupuncture group and...
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