title: [Effects of electroacupuncture on tumor growth and immune function in the Walker-256 model rat].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of acupuncture on tumor and its mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver cancer, gastric cancer and hypodermic tumor rat models were made by implantation of replicated Walker-256 cell strain. The 3 model rats were respectively divided into two groups at random, a model control group and an electroacupuncture group. The electroacupuncture groups were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "San-yinjiao" (SP 6), once each day, 15 min one session, for 15 days. The gross tumor volume and the tumor inhibitory rate, and the levels of humoral immunity index, including serum 1gG, IgM, IgA and C3, C4, and the levels of cellular immunity index, including CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the peripheral blood in each group were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gross tumor volumes in the EA groups were significantly smaller than those in the model control group (P<0.01). The contents of IgG, IgM and C3 in the EA groups increased significantly compared with those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The contents of IgA and C4 in the EA groups did not significantly change (P>0.05). The content of CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ in the EA groups are significantly higher than those in the model control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Hegu" (LI 4) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can increase immune function and inhibit tumor growth in Walker-256 liver cancer, gastric cancer and hypodermic tumor rats.
authors.affiliation: College of TCM, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401331, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shu-Mei
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Si-Qin
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li