title: Hepatoprotective effect of manual acupuncture at acupoint GB34 against CCl4-induced chronic liver damage in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the hepatoprotective effect of manual acupuncture at Yanglingquan (GB34) on CCl4-induced chronic liver damage in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were injected intraperitoneally with CCl4 (1 mL/kg) and treated with manual acupuncture using reinforcing manipulation techniques at left GB34 (Yanglingquan) 3 times a week for 10 wk. A non-acupoint in left gluteal area was selected as a sham point. To estimate the hepatoprotective effect of manual acupuncture at GB34, measurement of liver index, biochemical assays including serum ALT, AST, ALP and total cholesterol, histological analysis and blood cell counts were conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Manual acupuncture at GB34 reduced the liver index, serum ALT, AST, ALP and total cholesterol levels as compared with the control group and the sham acupuncture group. It also increased and normalized the populations of WBC and lymphocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Manual acupuncture with reinforcing manipulation techniques at left GB34 reduces liver toxicity, protects liver function and liver tissue, and normalizes immune activity in CCl4-intoxicated rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Meridian abd Acupoint, College of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon University, #12407, 96-3, Dong-gu, Daejeon 300-716, South Korea. docwindy@dju.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yun-Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Yim
authors.forename: Hyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kwon-Eui
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Young-Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung-Ryul
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tae-Han
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase