Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China.
J Tradit Chin Med. 2012 Jun;32(2):238-42. doi: 10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60018-7.
To observe the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) at related Jing-well Points (HT 9, PC 9, KI 1 and LU 11) in rats with vascular dementia (VD) and discuss the relative mechanism.
A randomized controlled animal experiment was designed. A total of 104 rats were involved in the present study and divided randomly into 4 groups: sham-operation group, model group, Jing-well Points group, and medication group. The VD model was established according to the modified 4-vessel occlusion (4-VO) method. VD rats in the Jing-well Points group were treated by EA at the related Jing-well Points (HT 9, PC 9, KI 1 and LU 11) while those in the medication group were treated with nimotop. The step-down avoidance test was performed before and after treatment in all rats. Latency and error frequency indexed memory function were recorded. Nitric oxide (NO) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in both cerebral tissue and serum were detected after the treatment course.
A total of 42 rats were included in the final analysis. Compared with the model group, the latency in the Jing-well Points group was significantly prolonged (P < 0.01) and the error frequency was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) after therapy; the decrease in NO levels in both brain tissue and serum was significant (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively); and the increase in SOD activity was also significant (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in latency, error frequency, NO levels and SOD activity between the Jing-well Points group and medication group.
EA at related Jing-well Points can remarkably improve memory impairment in VD rats. Moreover, decreasing the overproduction of NO and strengthening the ability of eliminating free radicals may provide therapeutic potential for the treatment of VD.
观察电针对血管性痴呆（VD）大鼠相关经穴（HT9、PC9、KI1 和 LU11）的影响，并探讨其相关机制。
采用随机对照动物实验设计。将 104 只大鼠随机分为假手术组、模型组、经穴组和药物组。采用改良的 4 血管阻断（4-VO）法建立 VD 模型。经穴组大鼠给予电针相关经穴（HT9、PC9、KI1 和 LU11）治疗，药物组大鼠给予尼莫地平治疗。所有大鼠在治疗前后均进行避台跳下试验，记录潜伏期和错误频率以评估记忆功能。治疗后检测大脑组织和血清中的一氧化氮（NO）水平和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性。
最终纳入 42 只大鼠进行分析。与模型组相比，经穴组治疗后潜伏期明显延长（P < 0.01），错误频率明显降低（P < 0.05）；大脑组织和血清中的 NO 水平明显降低（P < 0.05 和 P < 0.01），SOD 活性明显升高（P < 0.01）。经穴组与药物组之间潜伏期、错误频率、NO 水平和 SOD 活性均无显著差异。
电针相关经穴可显著改善 VD 大鼠的记忆障碍，降低 NO 的过度产生，增强清除自由基的能力，为 VD 的治疗提供潜在的治疗作用。
