Han Jia-Wei, Yang Ji-Wei, Chen Lin-Ling, Du Yuan-Hao
The First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300381, China.
Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700.
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2020 Oct 25;45(10):812-7. doi: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.191024.
To observe the effect of manual acupuncture stimulation of "Shuigou" (GV26) and "Neiguan" (PC6) on neurological function and expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in brain tissues around the intracerebral hematoma in rats with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), so as to explore its possible mechanisms underlying improvement of ICH.
Ninety-six male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: control, model, acupoint and non-acupoint (24 rats in each group). The ICH model was established by injection of the rat's autologous blood into the caudate nucleus. According to the time-points of 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after ICH, each of the 4 groups was further divided into 4 subgroups. For rats of the acupoint group, the PC6 on both sides was manually stimulated by manipulating the needle with lifting-thrusting-twisting reducing techniques, while the GV26 was stimulated with strong "sparrow-pecking" method for 10 times, then, left the needles in the acupoints for 30 min. For rats of the non-acupoint group, two non-acupoints: mid-spot below the bilateral axilla and the spot 3 mm above the left side of the coccyx tip were stimulated with the same methods to PC6 and GV26, respectively. For rats of the 6 h and 24 h subgroups, the intervention was given once after waking up from modeling, and for those of the 48 and 72 h subgroups, the intervention was conducted once a day for 2 or 3 times, respectively. The neurological severity score (NSS) was used to evaluate the degree of neurological function. The immunoactivity (expression) of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 proteins of the hematoma focus of the brain was detected by immunohistochemistry.
Following modeling, the NSS and the expression levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 proteins in the brain tissues surrounding the hematoma at each time-points (6, 24, 48 and 72h) after modeling were significantly increased in the model group relevant to the control group (<0.01, <0.05). Compared with the model group, the NSS at 72h and the expression levels of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 proteins at 6, 24, 48 and 72h were significantly down-regulated in the acupoint group (<0.05) rather than in the non-acupoint group (>0.05).
Acupuncture of GV26 and PC6 can improve the neurological function in rats with ICH, which may be related to its function in reducing the expression of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 proteins (apoptosis-related proteins) in the brain.
观察手针针刺“水沟”（GV26）和“内关”（PC6）对急性脑出血（ICH）大鼠脑血肿周围脑组织神经功能及Caspase-3和Caspase-9表达的影响，以探讨其改善ICH的可能机制。
将96只雄性SD大鼠随机分为4组：对照组、模型组、穴位组和非穴位组（每组24只）。通过向尾状核注射大鼠自体血建立ICH模型。根据ICH后6、24、48和72 h的时间点，将4组中的每组进一步分为4个亚组。穴位组大鼠，采用提插捻转泻法手法运针，双侧PC6进行手法针刺，同时采用强“雀啄”法针刺GV26 10次，然后留针30 min。非穴位组大鼠，分别采用与PC6和GV26相同方法刺激双侧腋窝下中点和尾骨尖左侧上方3 mm处两个非穴位。6 h和24 h亚组的大鼠，建模后苏醒后干预1次，48 h和72 h亚组的大鼠，分别每天干预1次，共2或3次。采用神经功能严重程度评分（NSS）评估神经功能程度。通过免疫组化检测脑血肿灶Caspase-3和Caspase-9蛋白的免疫活性（表达）。
建模后，模型组在建模后各时间点（6、24、48和72 h）血肿周围脑组织的NSS以及Caspase-3和Caspase-9蛋白表达水平与对照组相比显著升高（<0.01，<0.05）。与模型组相比，穴位组72 h时的NSS以及6、24、48和72 h时Caspase-3和Caspase-9蛋白表达水平显著下调（<0.05），而非穴位组则无显著变化（>0.05）。
针刺GV26和PC6可改善ICH大鼠的神经功能，这可能与其降低脑中Caspase-3和Caspase-9蛋白（凋亡相关蛋白）表达的作用有关。
