Effects of acupuncture on blood-lipids, anti-oxidizing ability and vascular endothelial protective function in hyperlipemia mice

Abstract

ObjectiveTo observe therapeutic effects of acupuncture on the mouse of hyperlipemia and to explore the mechanisms. MethodsOne hundred and twenty Kunming mice, male, sanitary degree, were randomly divided into normal group (n=40), a model group (n=40), an acupuncture group (n=20) and a medicine group (n=20). Except the normal group, the mice were fed with high fat forage to prepare mouse hyperlipemia model. On the 15th day of modeling, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were detected in 20 normal mice and 20 model mice; electroacupuncture was given at bilateral “Fēnglóng” (▪ ST 40), “Qūchí” (▪ LI 11), “Sānyīnjiāo” (▪ SP 6) in the acupuncture group, once a day, for 10 consecutive days; in the medicine group, the mice were intragastrically administrated with Simvastatin, once daily, for 10 consecutive days. After the end of treatment, serum TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin (ET) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were detected in the groups. ResultsOn the 15th day of modeling, in the model group serum TG, TC, LDL-C contents were significantly higher (all P<0.05) and HDL-C content was significantly lower (P<0.01) than those in the normal group. After treatment for 10 days, in the acupuncture group and the medicine group serum TG, TC, LDL-C, MDA and ET contents were significantly lower and serum HDL-C and NO contents and SOD activities were significantly higher than those in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the improving action in the acupuncture group was better than that in the medicine group (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionAcupuncture can regulate fat metabolism, resist lipid peroxidation and protect vascular endothelial function in the mouse of hyperlipemia.