Electroacupuncture Enhances Cell Proliferation and Neuronal Differentiation in Young Rat Brains
Gao J, et al. Department of Pediatrics, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou
University, Kangfuqain Street 7, Zhengzhou, 450052, China.
To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on cell
proliferation and differentiation in young rat hippocampus, postnatal day-14 rats were assigned randomly
to control, ketamine anesthesia, nonacupoint, or acupoint electroacupuncture groups. Electroacupuncture
was applied at bilateral acupoints (Quchi, Waiguan, Huantiao, and Zusanli) 30 min daily for 7 successive
days. The proliferation and neuronal differentiation of proliferated surviving cells in the dentate
gyrus were evaluated at 4 weeks after last stimulation. The stimulatory effect of electroacupuncture on
cell proliferation had a long-lasting effect, as indicated by the increased phosphor-histone H3-positive
cells. The number of proliferated and survival cells, indicated by BrdU labeling, was highest in the
electroacupuncture group. The number of newly differentiated neurons, as indicated by BrdU/NeuN double
labeling, was significantly higher in the electroacupuncture group than in any of the other groups. This
finding provides a theoretical basis for the clinical application of acupuncture to cerebral injury
rehabilitation in children.
Neurol Sci. 2010 Sep 18. Source: PubMed
[TOP]
The Mechanisms of Action of Tianhua on Antitumor
Activity in Lung Cancer Cells
Li, CT, et al. Institute of Medical and
Molecular Toxicology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Tianhua (TH-R) is extracted from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim (Cucurbitaceae) containing trichosanthin,
a traditional Chinese medicine, which has been locally reported to have good anticancer effects in vivo
in both animal and human models. However, there have been several reports that trichosanthin has an
anticancer effect involving apoptosis. Objective: To investigate other anticancer effects of TH-R,
various tumorigenesis parameters were verified. Materials and methods: Telomerase activity,
anti-apoptosis, anti-migration and immunomodulatory activity were estimated by telomeric repeat
amplification protocol assay (TRAP), flow cytometry, Boyden chamber assay and ELISA assay, respectively.
Results: In our studies, we are the first to find that TH-R had a cytotoxic effect on lung cancer cells
in MTS assays; it could change the cell cycle distribution of human lung cancer cells (A549 cell line)
and induce apoptosis. Further anti-telomerase effects in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells using the
TRAP assay were noted. TH-R also had an aggregation effect on peripheral blood lymphocytes, but no
effect on stimulating peripheral lymphocytes to produce human interferon-gamma(IFN-gamma). TH-R could
inhibit the migration, or metastatic ability, of A549 cells by Boyden chamber assay. In the oral feeding
therapy of an in vivo mouse model, there was an initial inhibition of A549 cancer cell growth, but no
statistical difference after one month of therapy. Discussion and conclusion: It has been proven that
medicinal herbs such as Tianhua have positive effects against cancer through preventing or inhibiting
the process of lung tumorigenesis.
Pharm Biol.2010 Aug 25.
Source: PubMed
[TOP]
Acupuncture Therapy for Apoplectic Aphasia: A
Systematic Review
Pang Y, et al. Department of Acupuncture, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guanngxi TCM University, Nanning 530023, China. py343@sohu.com
OBJECTIVE: To assess the therapeutic effect of acupuncture for apoplectic aphasia.
METHODS: A systematic review of the relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for apoplectic aphasia was performed with Cochrance system assessment methods. The quality of researches was reviewed one by one, and data was extracted by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was conducted with the assistance of RevMan 5.0 software.
RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 756 patients were included. Meta-analysis indicated that there was statistical difference between acupuncture and language training groups on cured rate with [RR = 1.74, 95% CI (1.10, 2.74), P = 0.02] at the end of treatment. However, acupuncture combined language training group was statistically superior to language training group on cured rate with [RR = 3.01, 95% CI (1.81, 5.01), P < 0.000 1], language function score with [WMD =10.54, 95% CI (7.86, 13.21), P < 0.000 01], oral expression with [WMD = 8.86, 95% CI (7.38, 10.35), P < 0.000 01].
CONCLUSION: It is approved that acupuncture (or acupuncture combined language training) is effective for apoplectic aphasia. But the quality of inclusive literature is low. Therefore, more RCTs of high methodological quality is requested to be carried out.
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2010 Jul;30(7):612-6.
Source: PubMed
[TOP]
|
