[Protective effect of electroacupuncture of "xiusanzhen" on neuronal mitochondria in rats with acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the protective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Xiusanzhen"([Chinese characters: see text]) on mitochondria of cortical neurons in acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R) rats.


METHODS
A total of 30 cases of SD rats were divided into control, model and EA groups. CI/R model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery and reperfusion. EA (80-100 Hz, 1-3 mA) was applied to "Xiusanzhen" (the median line of the nose root, 2 mm to the lateral median line on the bilateral sides) for 60 min. Content of serum reduced glutathione (GSH) and glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity were detected by using Tietze's reducase assay and dithio-bis-nitrobenzoic acid (DTNB) direct method respectively. The surface density (Sv), numerical density (Nv) and perimeter/area (Pv) of the mitochondria of the cerebral neurons were detected using stereological technique and electronic microscope.


RESULTS
Compared with control group, Sv and Pv of model group increased significantly (P < 0.05), while serum GSH content and GSH-Px activity of model group decreased considerably (P < 0.05). While in comparison with model group, Sv and Pv of EA group lowered obviously (P < 0.05), and GSH and GSH-Px both increased pronouncedly (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found among 3 groups in Nv (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
EA of "Xiusanzhen" has a definite protective effect on mitochondria of cortical neurons in acute focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats, which may be related with its antioxidation.
Liu
Zhi-Bin
ZB
Shaanxi College of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712083, China. lzb210396@163.com
Niu
Wen-min
WM
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009474:Neurons / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species