Effects of Electroacupuncture Stimulation at “Zusanli” Acupoint on Hepatic NO Release and Blood Perfusion in Mice

Abstract

The study is to observe the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at “Zusanli” (ST36) on the release of nitric oxide (NO) and blood perfusion (BP) in the liver and further explore whether the hepatic blood perfusion (HBP) changes were regulated by EA ST36 induced NO in nitric oxide synthase inhibited mice. The HBP change of the mice was detected by laser speckle perfusion imaging (LSPI) before and after being given interventions, and the NO in liver tissue was detected by nitric acid reductase in each group. The NO levels and HBP in the L-NAME group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01). The NO level and HBP increase in EA group were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05). The NO level in the L-NAME EA group was slightly higher than that in the L-NAME group. The HBP increase in the L-NAME EA group was not statistically significant. These results showed that EA could accelerate the synthesis of NO and thereby increase HBP via vasodilation in liver tissue.

Evaluation of liver function and electroacupuncture efficacy of animals with alcoholic liver injury by the novel imaging methods

“…Based on the experimental results, our analysis showed that EA stimulation could activate the endogenous microcirculation regulatory system in alcoholic liver injury. In addition, EA stimulation promoted vascular endothelial cells in liver tissues to express a large amount of eNOS to increase the synthesis and release of NO, cause vasodilation, and increase blood flow 38 . When the amount of blood perfusion is increased, the blood flow increases the friction on blood vessel walls.…”

Effects of Combined Far‐Infrared Radiation and Acupuncture at ST36 on Peripheral Blood Perfusion and Autonomic Activities

“…A number of experimental and clinical studies have shown that acupuncture enhances the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and increases local circulation [ 19 – 21 ]. Several theories have been proposed to explain the phenomenon, including reduction of neuronal apoptosis [ 22 – 24 ], augmentation of antioxidative activity [ 25 – 27 ], and enhancement of neurotransmission [ 28 – 30 ].…”

Changes in Nitric Oxide Releases of the Contralateral Acupoint during and after Laser Acupuncture at Bilateral Same‐Name Acupoints in Human

“…It was found that acupuncture at ST36 acupoint elevated the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and enhanced the levels of NO in the central nervous system, skin points, or the peripheral blood [ 6 , 29 ]. Electroacupuncture-evoked NO release induced the increase of hepatic blood perfusion via vasodilation in liver [ 17 ]. In our study, releases of NO from both LPC6 and RPC6 after LA RPC6 are greater than those of after LA LPC6, which may result in the possibility that stimulation on right acupoint by acupuncture caused the more forceful amplificatory effect compared to stimulation of left acupoint [ 23 , 25 ].…”

“…NO with stronger activity in the tissue is a vasodilator and produced by NOS through the catalytic decomposition of L-arginine [ 17 , 28 ]. Activating the endothelial NOS in the vascular endothelial cells, neuronal NOS in the brain, and nervous tissues and inducible NOS in the macrophage cells all can accelerate the synthesis and release of NO in human body.…”

“…It is reported that LA at right acupoint induced the blood perfusion increase of the contralateral acupoint, although the LA was ceased, the blood perfusion is still significantly increasing, but there are no significantly changes in nonacupoint [ 16 ]. Electroacupuncture-induced NO synthesis could increase hepatic blood perfusion via vasodilation in liver tissue [ 17 ]. Our recent finding showed that LA-evoked releases of NO over acupoints are significantly enhanced compared to nonacupoint [ 4 ]; in this study, the purpose is to investigate the changes in NO levels of the PC6 for both nontreated and treated sides during and after LA treatments and to investigate whether the NO releases of bilateral PC6 with the same name are different during and after the same LA treatments and whether these phenomena are specific to acupoints.…”