title: [Effects of electroacupuncture of "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on contents of MDA and beta-EP, and expression of HSP 70 in the uterus in rats with dysmenorrhea].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on the uterus in dysmenorrhea rats so as to study its underlying analgesic mechanism.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 48 SD rats during diestrus were randomized into normal saline (control) group, model group and acupuncture group according to a random number table, with 16 rats in each group. Dysmenorrhea model was established by subcutaneous injection of Estradiol benzoate (0.5 mg/d on the 1st and 10th day, and 0.2 mg/d from day 2 to day 9, once daily for 10 days) and oxytocin (2 U/rat, once on day 10). Malondialdehyde (MDA) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) contents in the uterus were detected by radioimmunoassay, and the heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70) immunoactivity of the uterus was detected by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the control group, MDA content in the uterus was increased significantly in the model group (P < 0.01), while the beta-EP level and the immunoactivity of HSP 70 immune-reaction (IR) positive products in the uterus decrease significantly (P < 0.01) and moderately, respectively in the model group. In comparison with the model group, uterine MDA content in the EA group was decreased significantly (P < 0.01), while uterine beta-EP level increased considerably (P < 0.01) and HSP 70 expression was upregulated to a certain degree.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA of "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) can reduce MDA content and upregulate beta-EP level of the uterus in rats with dysmenorrhea, which may contribute to its analgesic effect in relieving dysmenorrhea by clearing away oxygen free radicals and raising analgesic substance in the uterus.
authors.affiliation: College of Acu-moxibustion and Massage, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Lin
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Lu-Fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Hong
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-Li
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Chun-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xi-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Xiao-Xuan
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Ya-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Meng-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zhi-Fang
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D015667:Acupuncture Analgesia; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001615:beta-Endorphin