Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2013, Vol. 8 ›› Issue (9): 809-816.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.09.005

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Electroacupuncture regulates glucose-inhibited neurons in treatment of simple obesity

Zhi Yu, Youbing Xia, Chuanhui Ju, Qinghua Shao, Zhen Mao, Yun Gu, Bin Xu   

  1. Key Laboratory of Integrated Acupuncture and Drugs Affiliated to the Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Received:2012-07-27 Revised:2013-01-14 Online:2013-03-25 Published:2013-03-25
  • Contact: Bin Xu, Ph.D., Researcher, Key Laboratory of Integrated Acupuncture and Drugs Affiliated to the Ministry of Education of China, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210029, Jiangsu Province, China, xuuuux@sina.com.
  • About author:Zhi Yu★, Master, Assistant.
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program), No. 2011CB505206, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30873307 and No. 81202744; the Natural Science Research Project of Higher Education of Jiangsu Province, No. 11KJB360008; the Distinctive Discipline of Jiangsu Province; and the Scientific and Technological Innovation Group of “Qinglan Project” of Jiangsu Province.

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Abstract:

The glucose-inhibited neurons present in the lateral hypothalamic area are regarded as glucose detectors. This structure is involved in the regulation of food intake through extracellular blood glucose concentrations, and plays a crucial role in obesity onset. In the present study, obesity models established with high fat feeding were treated with electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36)/ Inner Court (ST44) on the left side and Tianshu (ST25) bilaterally. We found that electroacupuncture could effectively reduce body weight and the fat-weight ratio, and decrease serum leptin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and neuropeptide Y levels, while increase serum adiponectin and cholecystokinin-8 levels. This treatment altered the electrical activity of glucose-inhibited neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area, with electroacupuncture at Zusanli/ Inner Court exerting an inhibitory effect, while electroacupuncture at bilateral Tianshu exerting an excitatory effect. These data suggest that electroacupuncture at the lower limbs and abdominal cavity is an effective means for regulating the activity of glucose-inhibited neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area and for improving the secretory function of adipose tissue.

Key words: neural regeneration, acupuncture and moxibustion, electroacupuncture, acupoint, adipose tissue, hypothalamus, obesity, feeding center, acupuncture, regeneration, grants-supported paper, neuroregeneration