title: Effects of laser irradiation of acupuncture points Shenshu on ovariectomized rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of laser acupuncture on obesity in postmenopausal women remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of this form of treatment using an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven female Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned into seven groups: normal control (Normal), sham-operation control (Sham), ovariectomized (OVX) control rats (OVX), OVX rats treated with estrogen (OVX + E), and three groups of ovariectomized rats treated with laser acupuncture (OVX + L). Bilateral ovaries were removed to decrease estrogen levels. After 2 wk, semiconductor laser irradiation was administered to bilateral Shenshu (BL 23) acupoints of rats in the three OVX + L groups at 12, 30, and 60 J/cm(2), respectively. Changes in body weight and pituitary estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA expression were analyzed. Morphological differences in the uterus and pituitary glands were also observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The OVX group exhibited marked weight gain and a significant decrease in pituitary ERα mRNA expression. Semiconductor laser irradiation at 30 J/cm(2) reduced body weight and increased ERα expression compared with the control, whereas irradiation at 12 or 60 J/cm(2) presented slightly weaker effects. Significant differences in pituitary ERβ mRNA were not observed due to lack of optical density data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The semiconductor laser irradiation of bilateral Shenshu (BL 23) acupoints can exert beneficial effects on OVX rats through reducing body weight and increasing pituitary ERα expression, and 30 J/cm(2) was the most effective dose among those used.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Photonic Chinese Medicine, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Shi
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun-Xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Chang-Shui
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gui-Zhen
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zu-Xing
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Yao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism; D017698:Postmenopause; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D012333:RNA, Messenger