Increase in plasma glucose lowering action of rosiglitazone by electroacupuncture at bilateral Zusanli acupoints (ST.36) in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Hypoglycemia induced by electroacupuncture (EA) is due to an increase of insulin secretion and/or mediation of beta-endorphin. We applied EA at the Zusanli (ST.36) acupuncture point (acupoint) in combination with rosiglitazone (TZD) administration to evaluate their effect on plasma glucose and to explore possible mechanisms of action.


METHODS
Thirty six normal adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: the 0.1 mg/kg TZD group (0.1TZD), 0.1 mg/kg TZD and EA group (0.1TZD + EA), EA group, and control group. In other experiments, streptozotocin was used to induce type 2 diabetes mellitus in neonatal rats; these were then randomly divided into a 0.1TZD group, 0.1TZD + EA group, and EA group and changes in plasma glucose and insulin concentrations evaluated.


RESULTS
A marked hypoglycemic response was observed in the normal rat 0.1TZD, 0.1TZD + EA and EA groups, with the response more significant in the 0.1TZD + EA group than in the 0.1TZD group. Among the diabetic animals, the hypoglycemic responses in the 0.1TZD + EA and EA groups were greater than in the 0.1TZD group. In both the normal and diabetic rats, insulin secretion was increased by EA or 0.1TZD + EA treatment, but not by 0.1TZD.


CONCLUSIONS
The plasma glucose lowering action of rosiglitazone was increased by EA in both normal and diabetic rats, indicating that the application of EA may enhance the hypoglycemic action of this insulin sensitizer.
Pai
Hui-Ching
HC
Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
Tzeng
Chung-Yuh
CY
Lee
Yu-Chen
YC
Chang
Chin-Hsien
CH
Lin
Jaung-Geng
JG
Cheng
Juei-Tang
JT
Chang
Shih-Liang
SL
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000077154:Rosiglitazone; D045162:Thiazolidinediones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D045162:Thiazolidinediones; D000077154:Rosiglitazone