The effectiveness of Tsu-San-Li (St-36) and Tai-Chung (Li-3) acupoints for treatment of acute liver damage in rats.
This study investigated the effects of acupuncture on carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced acute liver injury in male rats (n=36). The experimental groups were injected with CCl4 before, during, or after acupuncture therapy. Acupoints similar to the human Tsu-San-Li (St-36) and Tai-Chung (Li-3) were needled bilaterally. Rats treated with CCl4 had higher levels of serum glutamate-oxalate-transaminase (sGOT) and serum glutamate-pyruvate-transaminase (sGPT). Comparing the experimental groups, biochemical and pathological parameters of liver injury were significantly reduced when rats were acupunctured after, not before, CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. Acupuncture at the Tsu-San-Li and Tai-Chung acupoints cannot prevent acute liver injury but may be effective in treating liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats.
Liu
H J
HJ
Acupuncture Research Center, Graduate Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Hsu
S F
SF
Hsieh
C C
CC
Ho
T Y
TY
Hsieh
C L
CL
Tsai
C C
CC
Lin
J G
JG
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002252:Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D015415:Biomarkers; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase