Electrical Stimulation at the ST36 Acupoint Protects against Sepsis Lethality and Reduces Serum TNF Levels through Vagus Nerve- and Catecholamine-Dependent Mechanisms
Figure 1
Effects of electroacupuncture on the serum TNF, IL-6, nitrite, and HMGB1 levels in a CLP-induced rat model of sepsis. Four groups of rats were formed: one group underwent surgery without CLP (SHAM) and three groups were subjected to CLP, where one of these groups was treated with EA at ST36 (CLP+ST36) or SHAM acupuncture (CLP+SHAM-EA) after closure and suturing of the abdominal cavity. The serum TNF (a), IL-6 (b), nitrite (c), and HMGB1 (d) levels were analyzed at 2, 6, and 18 hrs after the end of surgery in independent assay. The data are expressed as the means ± SD of 6 rats per group. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the Bonferroni test for multiple comparisons. Significant differences are indicated with an asterisk: , . The data are representative of three independent experiments.
