Electroacupuncture and Brain Protection against Cerebral Ischemia: Specific Effects of Acupoints

Table 1

Effects of EA at different acupoints on cerebral ischemia.

Groups	Scales of neurological deficit	Infarct volume	Death rate
Ischemia	6.0 ± 0.5 (6∼7) (𝑛=50)	32.9%±3.8% (𝑛=18)	17% (10 out of 60)
Ischemia + EA (Du 20 & Du 26)	1.0 ± 0.5 (0∼2) (𝑛=28)^△	4.5%±1.5% (𝑛=12)*	7% (2 out of 30)^¥
Ischemia + EA (left LI 11 & PC 6)	2.0 ± 1.0 (1∼3) (𝑛=22)^△	8.6%±3.8% (𝑛=12)*	8% (2 out of 24)^¥
Ischemia + EA (right LI 11 & PC 6)	6.5 ± 0.5 (6∼7) (𝑛=19)	33.4%±6.3% (𝑛=12)	20% (5 out of 24)
Ischemia + EA (left SP 6 & GB 34)	6.0 ± 1.0 (5∼7) (𝑛=21)	29.8%±4.5% (𝑛=12)	13% (3 out of 24)^#

Ischemia: the rats were subjected to right MCAO for 1 hour and reperfusion for 24 hours. Ischemia + EA at Du 20 & Du 26: EA (1.0 mA, 5/20 Hz, sparse-density wave) was delivered to the acupoints of “Baihui” (Du 20) and “Shuigou” (Du 26) of the ischemic rats for 30 min. Ischemia + EA at left LI 11 & PC 6: EA was delivered to the acupoints of “Quchi” (LI 11) and “Neiguan” (PC 6) on the left anterior limb of the ischemic rats for 30 min. Ischemia + EA at right LI 11 & PC 6: EA was delivered to the acupoints of “Quchi” (LI 11) and “Neiguan” (PC 6) on the right anterior limb of the ischemic rats for 30 min. Ischemia + EA at left SP 6 & GB 34: EA was delivered to the acupoints of “Sanyinjiao” (SP 6) and “Yanglingquan” (GB 34) on the left posterior limb of the ischemic rats for 30 min.
△P < 0.01 versus Ischemia. ∗P < 0.01 versus Ischemia. ¥P < 0.01 versus Ischemia.#P < 0.05 versus Ischemia. Note that both EA at Du 20 & Du 26 and EA at left LI 11 & PC 6 significantly reduced the neurological deficit, brain infarct volume, and death rate.