[Effects of electroacupuncture on CRH, IL-2 and beta-EP contents in the hypothalamus in the rat of adjuvant arthritis].
OBJECTIVE
To explore Mechanisms of electroacupuncture in anti-inflammation and immunoregulation, and to compare differences among "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Mingmen "(GV 4) and non-acupoint in these actions.


METHODS
Adjuvant arthritis rat model was made. The rats were divided into 5 groups: normal group, model group, "Dazhui" (GV 14) electroacupuncture group, "Mingmen" (GV 4) electroacupuncture group and non-acupoint electroacupuncture group. Effects of electroacupuncture on local joint inflammation and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), beta-endorphin (betaEP) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) contents in the hypothalamus were observed and differences of the actions among different points were compared.


RESULTS
CRH content in the hypothalamus in the "Dazhui" (GV 14) electroacupuncture group decreased as compared with the model group (P < 0.05); there was no significant change in beta-EP and IL-2 contents of the hypothalamus in the 3 electroacupuncture groups as compared with the model group (P > 0.05); there was positive correlation between CRH and IL-2 contents, and between IL-2 and beta-EP contents in the hypothalamus. The swelling rate of the toe in the "Dazhui" (GV 14) group and the "Mingmen" (GV 4) group was lower than that in the non-acupoint group (P < 0 05).


CONCLUSIONS
Electroacupuncture exerts anti-inflammation and immunoregulation possibly via regulation of CRH, IL-2 and beta-EP each other, and the anti-inflammation action of "Dazhui" (GV 14) and "Mingmen" (GV 4) is stronger than that of non-acupoint.
Li
Hui
H
China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing 100029, China. 2008lihui@163.com
Li
Xiao-Hong
XH
Zhang
Lu-Fen
LF
Zhu
Wen-Lian
WL
Zhai
Jing-Hui
JH
Zhou
Deng-Fang
DF
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus; D007376:Interleukin-2; D051381:Rats
D007376:Interleukin-2