title: [Effects of electroacupuncture intervention on neurological function, blood glucose and insulin levels in rats with focal cerebral ischemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on dynamic changes of neurological function, blood glucose and insulin levels in rats with focal cerebral ischemia (CI), so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of ischemic cerebral vascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal, sham-operation (sham), model and EA. CI model was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The four groups were further randomized into 5 subgroups according to time-points of MCAO: 6 hour, day 1, day 3, day 7 and day 14 (8 rats/ group). EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1 mA) was applied to bilateral "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Quchi" (LI 11) for 30 min, once daily for 1 day to 14 days. Neurological impairment was evaluated by Zea Longa 5-point scoring system. Local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) of the cerebral pia mater was determined using Laser Doppler Flowmetry. The levels of abdominal cavity venous blood glucose and serum insulin were measured by using a glucose meter and radioimmunoassay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the normal and sham groups, the rats' body weights and LCBF levels at time-points of day 1, 3, 7 and 14, and blood glucose and serum insulin levels at most time-points of 6 h, day 1, 3, 7 and 14 after CI were significantly decreased in the model group (P < 0.05), and neurological scores at time-points of 6 h, day 1, 3, 7 and 14 were markedly increased in the model group (P < 0.05). After EA intervention, compared with the model group, the rats' body weights at time points of day 3, 7 and 14, LCBF levels on day 7 and 14, blood glucose on day 14, and serum insulin contents at time-points of day 1, 3, 7 and 14 were considerably increased in the EA group (P < 0.05), while Zea Longa scores at time-points of day 3 and 7 were evidently decreased in the EA group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA intervention is effective in improving neurological function in CI rats, which is probably associated with its functions in improving cerebral blood flow, and up-regulating blood glucose and insulin levels.
authors.affiliation: College of Acu-moxibustion, Tuina, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Basic College of Medicine, Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Hai-jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Basic College of Medicine, Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Basic College of Medicine, Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Bing-bing
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: International Education College, Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Shi-jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin