Acupuncture Pretreatment Anti-cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury And Its Mechanism

Objective To investigate the influence of acupuncture acupoint preconditioning (AAP) on the physical ability to resist pathogen, prove the effect of AAP of Shenshu (BL23) and Baihui (DU20) on brain ischemia reperfusion injury and explore its mechanism. Methods The method of AAP was to puncture BL23 and DU20 with electroacupuncture for 10 minutes and maintain the needles for 20 minutes. The treatment was repeated four times continuously (all for 2hr). Male Wistar rats were used to make the model of whole brain ischemia reperfusion with cervical artery drainage. HE-stained pathological slices of brain tissues were observed to prove the effect and character of AAP. Gene chips technology and immunocytochemical method were applied to investigate its molecular mechanism. The research was divided into five experiments. Results (1) The whole brain ischemia lasted for 7 minutes. A large amount of neurons degenerated and necrosed after 1 day of reperfusion. The degeneration and necrosis reached its peak after 3 days of reperfusion and became stable after 7 days. In the model group of 0.5 hr after AAP, the density of remained neurons in layer V, area I of the cerebral parietal cortex was significantly higher than that of model group, model group of 1.5 hr after AAP and model group of 3 hr after AAP during different stage of reperfusion (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between that of model group of 3 hr after reperfusion and that of model group (P>0.05). (2) 0.5 hr after AAP of BL23 and DU20,20 genes in the brain represented expression differentiation, which reflected physiological and biochemical state of neurons 0.5 hr after puncturing. (3) AAP of BL 23 and DU20 had no influence on the NMDA receptor expression of cortex neurons in normal rats (P>0.05), and kept that of brain ischemia reperfusion rats in a relatively high level. (4) AAP of BL 23 and DU20 promoted the ACTH expression of PVN and depressed the CRF synthesis of Am in brain ischemia reperfusion rats. Conclusion (1) The whole brain ischemia reperfusion model caused by cervical artery drainage showed obvious widespread ischemic pathological changes in the whole brain. (2) AAP of BL23 and DU20 had significant effect on resisting brain ischemia reperfusion injury, which was best 0.5 hr after AAP. (3) The research pattern of making whole brain ischemia reperfusion model of 0.5 hr after AAP could be set up. (4) Changes of neuron function after AAP of BL23 and DU20 were the important bases of its anti-injury effect. (5) One of its approaches was to regulate the function of neuron NMDA receptor and promote ACTH expression of CNS. (6) One of the important aspects of its effect was to adjust the function of hypothalamus, regulate and control the stress reaction of the body and maintain the stability of the interior environment. (7) The effect of AAP on brain ischemia reperfusion injury was the result of acupuncture information acting at multiple levels and in different ways. (8)According to the theory of TCM "treating pre-disease", AAP of acupoints with the effect of solidifying vital Qi and eliminating pathogen could reinforce the physical ability to resist diseases and lessen the injury towards body afterward.