Effects of acupuncture in the ischemic model of diabetes mellitus rats

Acupuncture has been a time honored therapy to be effective for emergency conditions as an ischemic stroke. Glutamate excitotoxicity is seen as the major mechanisms for neuronal death, ischemic injury. An eleven vessel occlusion (11VO) was used as a diabetes mellitus rat model of global ischemia. Changes of the extracellular glutamate releases, cerebral blood flow and electroencephalogram were observed using real time monitoring system with a sampling frequency of 256 Hz and three periods including control of 10 min, occlusion of 10 min and reperfusion of 40 min. Animals were divided into two groups as control and acupuncture. Acupuncture group was stimulated manually with acupunctures on GB34 and GB39 acupuncture sites on both hind limbs during the occlusion period. While reduction level of blood flow during the occlusion period and hyperemia during the reperfusion period was not different between groups, peak concentration of extracellular glutamate levels were significantly lower in the acupuncture group (p < 0.01). This study revealed that acupuncture stimulation showed glutamate moderating effect in such a devastating ischemic condition as 11VO model, which maybe a possible mechanism of acupuncture effect for ischemic stroke.