title: Electro-acupuncture at 'Neiguan' (PC6) attenuates liver injury in endotoxaemic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates macrophages to release proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide (NO). This results in hypotension, vascular hyporeactivity and multiple organ failure (eg, liver injury) in rats. In rats with endotoxin shock, electro-acupuncture (EA) of 'Neiguan' (PC6) retrieved blood pressure and reduced plasma concentrations of NO. The authors evaluated whether EA at PC6 could alleviate the development of liver injury and dysfunction in endotoxic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 28 male adult Wistar rats were included in this study. Rats received intravenous LPS (10 mg/kg for 4 h) or saline for 4 h followed by EA at PC6 acupuncture point.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated biochemical parameters of liver injury and marked infiltration of neutrophils into liver tissues caused by LPS were significantly attenuated by EA. However, hypotension, tachycardia and raised production of plasma NO were not suppressed by EA at PC6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that EA at PC6 should be further investigated as a possible adjuvant therapy for endotoxin-induced liver dysfunction. Its mechanism of action needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Medicine, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, and Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hwan-Wun
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mou-Chuan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Cheng-Ming
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Mei-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chin-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D007022:Hypotension; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D013610:Tachycardia
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009569:Nitric Oxide