Acupuncture with reinforcing and reducing twirling manipulation inhibits hippocampal neuronal apoptosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats

To observe the effects of different acupuncture manipulations on blood pressure and target organ damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHRs), this study used the reinforcing twirling method(1.5–2-mm depth; rotating needle clockwise for 360° and then counter clockwise for 360°, with the thumb moving heavily forward and gently backward, 60 times per minute for 1 minute, and retaining needle for 9 minutes), the reducing twirling method(1.5–2-mm depth; rotating needle counter clockwise for 360° and then clockwise for 360°, with the thumb moving heavily backward and gently forward, 60 times per minute for 1 minute, and retaining needle for 9 minutes), and the needle retaining method(1.5–2-mm depth and retaining the needle for 10 minutes). Bilateral Taichong(LR3) was treated by acupuncture using different manipulations and manual stimulation. Reinforcing twirling, reducing twirling, and needle retaining resulted in a decreased number of apoptotic cells, reduced Bax m RNA and protein expression, and an increased Bcl-2/Bax ratio in the hippocampus compared with the SHR group. Among these groups, the Bcl-2/Bax protein ratio was highest in the reducing twirling group, and the Bcl-2/Bax m RNA ratio was highest in the needle retaining group. These results suggest that reinforcing twirling, reducing twirling, and needle retaining methods all improve blood pressure and prevent target organ damage by increasing the hippocampal Bcl-2/Bax ratio and inhibiting cell apoptosis in the hippocampus in SHR.

Chinese Tuina Downregulates the Elevated Levels of Tissue Plasminogen Activator in Sciatic Nerve Injured Sprague-Dawley Rats

Objective:To elucidate the mechanism of Chinese tuina in treating sciatic nerve crush injury,and to detect the levels of tissue plasminogen activator(t PA)and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1(PAI-1),which is thought to play an important role in nerve regeneration.Methods:Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sciatic nerve crush injury and 16 rats(sham-operated group)went through a sham operation.Control group was given no treatment while tuina group received tuina therapy since day 7 post-surgery.Tuina treatment was performed once a day and lasted for 20 days.The sciatic functional index was examined every 5days during the treatment session.The rats'gastrocnemius muscles were evaluated for changes in mass and immunohistochemistry techniques were performed to detect the levels of tP A and PAI-1.Results:Tuina therapy improved the motor function of sciatic nerve injured rats(P<0.05),however,it did not increase muscle volume(P<0.05).Tuina downregulated the levels of t PA and PAI-1(P<0.05).Conclusions:The present study implies that tuina treatment could accelerate rehabilitation of peripheral nerve injury.