title: 15 Hz electroacupuncture at ST36 improves insulin sensitivity and reduces free fatty acid levels in rats with chronic dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) in a rat model of chronic steroid-induced insulin resistance (SIIR).
  
  
  METHODS
  An SIIR rat model was created using daily intraperitoneal injections of clinically relevant doses of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) for 5 days to induce chronic insulin resistance. Thirty-six SIIR rats were randomly divided into the SIIR+EA group (n=18), which received 15 Hz EA at ST36 for 60 min, and the SIIR group (n=18), which remained untreated. Plasma glucose and free fatty acid (FFA) levels were measured in serial blood samples taken without further manipulation (n=6 per group) and during insulin challenge test (ICT, n=6 per group) and intravenous glucose tolerance test (ivGTT, n=6 per group). Insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 and glucose transporter (GLUT)-4 were measured using Western blotting and expressed relative to β-actin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following EA, area-under-the-curve (AUC) for glucose was reduced (7340±291 vs 10 705±1474 mg/dL/min, p=0.049) and FFA levels significantly lower at 30/60 min in the SIIR+EA versus SIIR groups. Similar effects on glucose AUC were seen during the ICT (5568±275 vs 7136±594 mg/dL/min, p<0.05) and igVTT (11 498±1398 vs 16 652±1217 mg/dL/min, p<0.01). FFA levels were lower at 30 and/or 60 min in SIIR+EA versus SIIR groups (p<0.01). Relative expression of IRS-1 and GLUT4 were significantly increased by EA (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA decreased the FFA level and increased insulin sensitivity in SIIR rats. Further clinical studies are needed to determine whether EA is an effective alternative treatment for the reduction of insulin resistance in patients requiring chronic use of dexamethasone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan Department of Nursing, Hung-Kuang University, Taichung city, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Yuh
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Tzeng
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Cheng-Ching Hospital, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jui-Jung
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Botanicals and Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Chieh
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Botanicals and Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of BioIndustry Technology, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tai-Hao
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jaung-Geng
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Life Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuan-Rong
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Botanicals and Health Applications, Da-Yeh University, Changhua County, Taiwan School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003907:Dexamethasone; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D051275:Glucose Transporter Type 4; D055504:Insulin Receptor Substrate Proteins; D003907:Dexamethasone
keywords: COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE