[Effects of acupuncture combined with medicine on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in the rat of endometriosis].
OBJECTIVE
To probe into an effective method for treatment of endometriosis (EMs) and the mechanism.


METHODS
Rat EMs model was established and they were randomly divided into a model group, an acup-moxibustion group, a TCM group, an acupuncture and medicine group, with a control group set. The acup-moxibustion group were treated with electroacupuncture at "Xuehai (SP 10)", "Sanyinjiao (SP 6)" and moxibustion at "Guanyuan (CV 4)"; the TCM group were treated with stomach perfusion of modified Mojie Tablet in normal saline; the acupuncture and medicine group were treated with the above two methods; both the control group and the model group were bound and treated with stomach perfusion of saline. After treatment of 35 days, the greatest diameter of the ectopic tissue was measured in the rats, pathological observation of the ectopic tissue was made and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) expression in the ectopic tissue was determined.


RESULTS
The greatest diameter of ectopic tissue and MMP-2 expression in the ectopic tissue in the acupuncture and medicine group were significantly lower than those in the model group, the acup-moxibustion group and the TCM group (P < 0.05); and the ectopic endometrium trended to atrophy, and with necrosis of some epithelial cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination of acupuncture with medicine has a better therapeutic effect on endometriosis and down-regulates the abnormal increase of MMP-2 level to inhibit the invasion of ectopic tissue to extracellular matrix, so as to reduce the ectopic tissue, hence cure of endometriosis.
Chen
Yun-Fei
YF
Shanghai City Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridians, Shanghai 200030, China. icyf1968@yahoo.com.cn
Zhang
Chun-Yan
CY
Zhang
Xiao-Yun
XY
Sun
Man-Ping
MP
Zhang
Yun
Y
Huang
Lan
L
Jiang
Wen-Yan
WY
Yang
Wen-Jia
WJ
Kong
Wei-Guang
WG
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000032:analysis*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2