Acupuncture attenuates extracellular glutamate level in global ischemia model of rat.
OBJECTIVE
Acupuncture has been known to be effective in ischemia, and glutamate excitotoxicity is an important factor for the neuronal cell death. We examined the effect of acupuncture on glutamate level in the ischemic stroke model.


METHODS
A global ischemia was induced using the method of 11-vessel occlusion in rat. Rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=5, with 11-vessel occlusion) and the acupuncture group (n=5, with 11-vessel occlusion + acupuncture). The extracellular glutamate level was assessed using an intracerebral biosensor system measuring 256 samples per second. Simultaneously, the cerebral blood flow was measured and the electroencephalogram data were recorded. The time schedule of the experiment was as follows: 10 minutes of baseline measurement, 10 minutes of occlusion and 30 minutes of follow-up monitoring. Acupuncture stimulation was applied to the acupuncture points GB34 (Yangneungcheon) and GB39 (Hyeonjong) during the occlusion period.


RESULTS
In the control group, the extracellular glutamate level was changed as 135.19 +/- 23.76 microM (mean +/- standard deviation) from the baseline level. However, this increase was suppressed in the acupuncture group (72.20 +/- 27.15 microM, p<0.01 versus the control group). The changes of cerebral blood flow and electroencephalogram were not significantly different between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This result suggests that the effect of acupuncture might be closely associated with modulation of the brain glutamate release in the ischemic condition.
Lee
Gi-Ja
GJ
Department of Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Industry Research Institute, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemum-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
Yin
Chang Shik
CS
Choi
Seok-Keun
SK
Choi
Samjin
S
Yang
Jong-Soo
JS
Lee
Hyejung
H
Park
Hun-Kuk
HK
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020521:Stroke / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018698:Glutamic Acid