Effect and mechanism of electroacupuncture at"Baihui"and"Shenshu"on improving cognitive impairment in APP/PS1 mice

Objective:To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA)at"Baihui"(GV20)and"Shenshu"(BL23)on cognitive impairment in AD model mice,and to explore its mechanism.Methods:A total of 24 model mice were randomly divided into EA,medication and model groups,8 mice in each group.Another 8 C57BL/6J mice were used as the normal control.The rats in the EA group were treated with electrical stimulation at Baihui(GV20)and Shenshu(BL23),and those in the medication group were treated with donepezil hydrochloride,once a day for 21 days.Adopting the Maorris water maze method to detect the behavior of mice and using HE staining to observe the morphological structure of neurons in the hippocampal region of mice.Finally the expression of GSK-3βandβ-catenin protein contents in the hippocampus of mice in each group was detected by Western blot.Results:Compared to the model group,the evasion latency of the electroacupuncture group and the western medicine group were significantly shorter,and the dwell time in the target quadrant and the number of crossing the plateau were increased(P<0.05),and the hippocampal neurons in each treatment group were closely arranged and complete,with a clearer hierarchy.Western blot assay results showed that the expression ofβ-catenin protein was significantly increased and GSK-3βprotein expression was decreased in the hippocampal region of mice in the electroacupuncture and western medicine groups compared with the model group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Ea at"Baihui"(GV20)and"Shenshu"(BL23)can significantly improve the cognitive function of APP/PS1 mice,which may be connected with the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Rules of acupuncture point selection in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis through data mining

Objective:To explore the rules of acupuncture point selection in thetreatment of rheumatoid arthritis by applying data mining and modern Statistical software.Methods:We retrieved literature from China hownet(CNKI),VIP database(VIP),Wanfang,PubMed,MEDLINE,Embase database from the founding of the database to February 1,2020.The main information of meridians and acupoints were entered into Excel,SPSS22.0 was used to extract data and do clustering analysis.Results:Quchi,Zusanli,Hegu,Yanglingquan,Xiyan were often chosen for electropuncture treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Most of the acupoints are located in the large intestine channel of hand yangming bladder meridian or bladder channel of foot Taiyang,Shaoyang gallbladder channel of foot,stomachmeridian of foot Yangming,the energizer meridian and concentrated in the upper and lower extremities.The frequency of use of five Shu points,crossing point,source point,lowerconfluent and eight meeting points acupoints is higher.Cluster analysis can divide the included acupoints into 5 clusters.Conclusion:Quchi,Zusanli,Hegu,Yanglingquan,Xiyan are often chosen for electropuncture treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Most of the selected acupoints aremostly distributed in the acupoints which are located in the large intestine channel of hand yangming bladder meridian or bladder channel of foot Taiyang,Shaoyang gallbladder channel of foot,Stomach meridian of foot Yangming,and the energizer meridian.

Anti-inflammatory mechanism of electroacupuncture involves the modulation of multiple systems,levels and targets and is not limited to“driving the vagus-adrenal axis”

In October 2021,an international collaborative study on the use of electroacupuncture(EA)to treat inflammation was published in the journal Nature by Dr.Qiufu Ma’s team.Based on the results of EA on inflammation in the mouse model of lipopolysaccharide inflammatory storm,the study showed that the distal effect of acupuncture can be achieved by“driving the vagus-adrenal axis(through the adrenal medulla,by releasing catecholamines).”PROKR2Cre-marked sensory neurons,which innervate the deep hindlimb fascia but not the abdominal fascia,are crucial for driving this axis.The study suggests the existence of specificity distribution of acupoints,that different EA stimulation intensities or different needle penetration depths have different therapeutic effects,that photosensitive stimulation may be a substitute for needle acupuncture,and that massage,stretching and body movements may also activate PROKR2Cremarkable dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons and elicit anti-inflammatory effects.However,results of some other studies are contrary to the conclusions of Ma’s team.For examples:low-intensity EA at GB30 point significantly reduced the inflammation in the rat model of persistent inflammation,which is more relevant to the real daily acupuncture practice,and this effect was partly related to the adrenal cortex and associated with the stimulation of corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone;manual acupuncture(similar to the low-intensity EA)at KI3,Zhichuan point(an extra point),etc.was effective in a severe COVID-19 patient with sepsis;stimulating ST25 with low-intensity EA or manual acupuncture was effective against gastrointestinal inflammations;the above mentioned points are not in an area enriched with PROKR2Cre-marked sensory nerve endings.Evidence shows that the mechanism of EA against inflammation includes modulating multi-systems,multi-levels and multi-targets,which does not limit to“driving the vagus-adrenal axis.”