Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research: International Journal of Integrated Medicine

The present study was designed to investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) is able to regulate glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) expression following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry in rats. The results indicate that after 2 h MCAO, GDNF mRNA and immunoreactivity profoundly increased in peri-infarct cerebral cortex, with peaks at 2 h after reperfusion, then declined dramatically at 12 and 24 h after reperfusion. Although EA given immediatelly after MCAO couldn't elevate the peaks of GDNF expression, it obviously raised the GDNF mRNA and immunoreactivity levels at 12 h after reperfusion, delayed the declining trends of GDNF mRNA and immunoreactivity levels. These results suggest that EA could upregulate GDNF expression after ischemic insult, elongating the duration of upregulated GDNF expression. This may be one of the mechanisms of EA anti-ischemic injury by augmenting endogenous protective mechanism.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the millimeter-wave bioresonance therapy on acute inflammation and stressful conditions in experimental models. Licking reaction in mice as a component of the hypersensitive state evoked by subcutaneous formalin (0.03 ml of 1% solution) injection into the right hind paw was monitored. Different parameters of electro-magnetic stimulation (frequencies 43 GHz and 61 GHz, intensities from 0.1 to 7 mW/cm², the exposure time for 3 min. or 10 min.) applied to ipsilateral acupoint St.36 were studied. It was found that the millimeter-wave bioresonance therapy improved the condition of experimental animals, accompanying by diminution of licking reaction which was registered for every 10 min. during 2 hours after the formalin test start. Effect of 10 min. irradiation was more demonstrative than 3 min. (frequency 61 GHz, intensity 0.1 mW/cm²). Stimulation with frequency of 61 GHz suppressed licking reaction more deeply than 43 GHz under equal intensities. Most beneficial effects have been observed when minimal (0.1 mW/cm²) intensity of electromagnetic stimulation was used.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important diffusible neurotransmitter, which also has neurotoxicity when it is overproduced. To investigate whether electro-acupuncture (EA) could inhibit the excessive NO release during cerebral ischemia, we detected NO directly by our self-made NO sensitive electrode. The electrode was placed into rat striatum after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. NO level was significantly increased upon the onset of ischemia and reperfusion. EA apparently antagonized the ischemia-elicited rise of NO, although it could not suppress the NO level to baseline. The results indicated that EA might inhibit directly the elevation of NO following cerebral ischemia.

We evaluated the analgesic effects of acupuncture on postoperative pain by comparing patients who underwent routine tooth extraction alone (control group) and those who underwent tooth extraction in combination with acupuncture (experimental group) by the random allocation method. As teeth easy to extract, requiring no gingival incision (grade A) or those difficult to extract, requiring gingival incision or bone culling (grade B). As local anesthesia. 1.8 ml or 3.6 ml of 2% xylocaine was used. The LI.4. Hegu on both sides and ST.7. Xiaguan and ST.6. Jiache on the affected side were selected. Low frequency electrical acupuncture was performed. When acupuncture was used in combination with tooth extraction. 3 of 22 patients did not develop postoperative pain. In patients with wisdom teeth difficult to extract (grade B). acupuncture used in combination with local anesthesia decreased postoperative pain.