Abstract
In this article, we review how acupuncture regulates oxidative stress to prevent ischemia–reperfusion injury. We electronically searched databases, including PubMed, Clinical Key and the Cochrane Library, from their inception to November 2019 by using the following medical subject headings and keywords: acupuncture, ischemia-reperfusion injury, oxidative stress, reactive oxygen species, and antioxidants. We concluded that acupuncture is effective in treating oxidation after ischemia-reperfusion injury. In addition to increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes and downregulating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), acupuncture also repairs the DNA, lipids, and proteins attacked by ROS and mediates downstream of the ROS pathway to apoptosis.
Highlights
Under normal conditions, a balance exists between free radical generation and elimination
If the balance is disturbed by the accumulation of free radicals or the dysfunction of free radical scavengers, an abundance of free radicals leads to cell injury or cell death, which is referred to as oxidative stress [1]
The present study reported that EA at ST36 and LI11 increases the level of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and stimulates the PI3K/Akt pathway, and it suppresses the expression of Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 [53]
Summary
A balance exists between free radical generation and elimination. If the balance is disturbed by the accumulation of free radicals or the dysfunction of free radical scavengers, an abundance of free radicals leads to cell injury or cell death, which is referred to as oxidative stress [1]. Free radicals are produced in both conditions of ischemia and ischemia-reperfusion [2]. Studies have revealed that a major cause of ischemia-reperfusion injury is reactive oxygen species (ROS) [3–5]. ROS, a type of free radical, are generated through aerobic metabolism. ROS are unstable compounds and react with deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), lipids, and proteins and induce cell damage or cell death [6]
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