[Influence of electroacupuncture on insulin-resistance in nonalcoholic fatty liver rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the mechanism of electroacupuncture (EA) in treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats.


METHODS
Thirty male SD rats were randomized into normal control, NAFLD model and EA groups, with 10 cases in each. NAFLD model was established by feeding the rats with high-fat food for 8 weeks. EA (2 Hz, 4 mA) was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Fenglong" (ST 40), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6), and "Taichong" (LR 3) for 15 min, once daily for 4 weeks. Fasting blood sugar (FBG) and serum free fatty acids (FFA) were detected with chromatometry; serum insulin (INS) was determined with radioimmunoassay; homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and liver index (LI) were calculated. Liver tissue was cut into sections for detecting pathological changes.


RESULTS
Compared with normal control group, FBG, INS, FFA, HOMA-IR and LI of model group increased significantly (P<0.05), and hepatic diffuse steatosis with cellular necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration was obvious. In comparison with model group, all the 5 indexes in EA group decreased significantly (P<0.05), and pathological changes as hepatic steatosis, etc. were significantly reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
EA may be used to effectively improve NAFLD by lowering insulin resistance.
Feng
Wen-Qi
WQ
School of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400050, China.
Zeng
Zhi-Hua
ZH
Zhuo
Lian-Shi
LS
D000818:Animals; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified