[Effect of electroacupuncture and moxibustion of "Dazhui" (GV14) on the number and distribution of degranulated mast cells in GV14 region].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion on the degranulated mast cell number and distribution in "Dazhui" (GV14) region of rats.


METHODS
Fifteen Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, EA and moxibustion groups, with 5 cases in each group. "Dazhui" (GV14) was stimulated by EA (3/10 Hz, 2-4 V, 20 mm) or moxibustion (2 cones, 20 mm), thereafter, the tissues of GV14 region were sampled, quickly frozen, sectioned (20 microm) and stained with toluidine blue separately for observing the degranulated state of mast cells under microscope.


RESULTS
The mast cells (MCs) distributed widely in GV14 region from the dermis, subcutaneous tissue to muscle layer. Compared with control group, MCs of moxibustion group were significantly fewer in the number (P<0.05), and those degranulated MCs in both EA and moxibustion groups were evidently more in the number (P<0.01), and the number and percentage of the degranulated MCs in moxibustion group were significantly more than those of EA group (P<0.05), suggesting that EA and moxibustion could promote the release of granules of mast cells in the stimulated acupoint region, and the effect of moxibustion is stronger.


CONCLUSIONS
Both EA and moxibustion can promote the degranulation of MCs, and the effect of moxibustion is markedly stronger in potentiating the release of granules from MCs in GV14 in rats.
Luo
Ming-Fu
MF
Institute of Acu-moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China. lmf9870@sina.com.cn
He
Jun-Na
JN
Guo
Ying
Y
Li
Cui-Hong
CH
Zhang
Jin-Ling
JL
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D015550:Cell Degranulation; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009071:Moxibustion; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar