The effect of acupuncture on Choksamni(ST36), Kokchi (LI11) & Arbitrary acupoint on NADPH-diaphorase, neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase, Neuropeptide Y and Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide in the cerebral cortex of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

침자극이 흰쥐 대뇌피질의 NADPH-d와 nNOS, NPY, VIP신경세포에 미치는 영향

Objective: To investigate the effects of acupointed Choksamni(ST36), Kokchi(LI11) and Arbitrary acupoint on NADPH-diaphorase, neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS), neuropeptide Y(NPY) and vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP) in the cerebral cortex of spontaneously hypertensive rats. Methods: The experimental groups were divided into four groups: Normal, Choksamni(ST36), Kokchi(LI11), arbitrary group. Needles were inserted into acupoints at the depth of 0.5 cm with basic insertion method. Such stimulation was applied continuously for 10 minutes, every other day, for 10 sessions of treatments. Thereafter we evaluated changes in NADPH-d-positive neurons histochemically and changes in nNOS, NPY and VIP-positive neurons immunohistochemically. Results : The optical densities of NADPH-d-positive neurons of all the Choksamni & Kokchi groups were significantly different in all areas of cerebral cortex as compared to arbitrary group. In motor1, sensory2, cingulate2, insular, peripheral, visual cortex there was a significant difference between Choksamni & Kokchi group. The optical densities of nNOS-positive neurons of Choksamni group were significantly different in all areas except for auditory, visual and pisiform cortex and Kokchi group in all areas except for auditory and pisiform cortex as compared to arbitrary group. And there was a significant difference in cingulate1, cingulate2, ectohinal, visual cortex between Choksamni & Kokchi group. The optical densities of NPY neurons of Choksamni group were significantly different in cingulate2, insular, pisiform cortex and Kokchi group in motor1, motor2, sensory1, cingulate2, ectorhinal cortex as compared to arbitrary group. And there was no significant difference between Choksamni & Kokchi group. The optical densities of VIP neurons of Choksamni group were significantly different in all areas except for motor1, auditory cortex and Kokchi group in sensory1, insular, ectorhinal, perirhinal, visual, pisiform cortex as compared to arbitrary group. And there was a significant difference in cingulate1, cingulate2, retrosplenial, auditory corterx between Choksamni & Kokchi group. Conclusion : Our results demonstrated that acupuncture on Choksamni(ST36) & Kokchi(LI11) changes the control activities of the NO system in the cerebral cortex of SHR and according to areas there were significant difference between two groups. In all cerebral cortex areas there were distributed NPY & VIP and there were no significant difference among Choksamni(ST36), Kokchi(LI11) and arbitrary group.