[The more efficacious acupoints of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao than that of non-acupoints on bone mass in osteopenic ovariectomized rats].
OBJECTIVE
To clarify whether the acupoints of Zusanli (ST36) and Sanyinjiao (SP6) have specific actions other than non-acupoints to bone.


METHODS
Forty Sprague-Dawley female rats were divided into five groups: Sham operated (sham) group; Ovariectomized (OVX, model) group; non-acupuncture group; OVX, needling on Zusanli and Sanyinjiao (Acp-A) group; OVX, needling on the reverse sides of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao (Acp-B) group; OVX, periostineal stimulation on the same height as points of Zusanli and Sanyinjiao (Acp-C) group. The experiment was continued for 23 weeks and then all animals were sacrificed.


RESULTS
OVX had a significantly higher body weight and lower bone mineral density (BMD) on the lumbar vertebrae, total femora and tibiae than sham rats, however, Acp-A showed a higher BMD compared with the other OVX groups. On the other hand, bone weights, bone strength and bone morphometry such as trabecular volume, trabecular separation, labeled width and bone formation rate also showed the same improvements in Acp-A as compared to the other OVX rats.


CONCLUSIONS
The stimulation on Zusanli and Sanyinjiao specifically prevented the development of osteopenic rats compared with non-acupoints.
Zhang
Wen-ping
WP
Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Mie, Japan. zhang_wenping@hotmail.com
Kanehara
Masayuki
M
Zhang
Yan-jun
YJ
Yu
Zhi-feng
ZF
Zhang
Guo-xia
GX
Yang
You-xin
YX
Sun
Yu-min
YM
Zhang
Jian-mei
JM
Ishida
Torao
T
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley