Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture technique of Tiaoxin Tongdu on learning-memory ability and expressions of hippocampal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiogenin-1 (Ang-1) in rats with vascular dementia (VD), and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture technique of Tiaoxin Tongdu for VD.
Methods: A total of 24 male SD rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a medication group and an acupuncture group after Morris water maze test, 6 rats in each group. VD model was established by permanent ligation of bilateral common carotid arteries in the model group, the medication group and the acupuncture group. Treatment was given on the next day after successful modeling. The rats in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Shenting" (GV 24), "Shuigou" (GV 26), "Dazhui" (GV 14), "Fengfu" (GV 16), "Mingmen" (GV 4), "Neiguan" (PC 6), "Daling" (PC 7) and "Laogong" (PC 8) for 30 min; the rats in the medication group were treated with nimodipine solution (0.0625 g/kg) by gavage, once a day, for 2 weeks. Morris water maze test was used to detect the behavior of rats before modeling, 2 weeks after modeling and after intervention; after intervention, the expressions of VEGF and Ang-1 protein in hippocampus were detected by Western blot.
Results: Compared with the sham operation group, the average escape latency of rats in the model group was prolonged (P<0.01), and the times of crossing the original platform were reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the average escape latency of rats in the medication group and acupuncture group was significantly shortened (P<0.01), and the times of crossing the original platform were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the sham operation group, the expressions of VEGF and Ang-1 protein in hippocampus in the model group were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the expressions of VEGF and Ang-1 protein in the hippocampus in the medication group and acupuncture group were significantly increased (P<0.01, P<0.05).
Conclusion: The acupuncture technique of Tiaoxin Tongdu can significantly improve the learning and memory ability of VD rats, and its mechanism may be related to up-regulating the expressions of VEGF and Ang-1 protein in hippocampus and inducing angiogenesis.
目的：观察“调心通督”针刺法对血管性痴呆(VD)大鼠学习记忆能力及海马组织血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）、血管生成素-1（Ang-1）蛋白表达的影响，探讨“调心通督”针刺法治疗VD的作用机制。方法：24只雄性SD大鼠行Morris水迷宫实验后随机分为假手术组、模型组、西药对照组和调心通督针刺组，每组6只。模型组、西药对照组、调心通督针刺组大鼠采用双侧颈总动脉永久性结扎法复制VD模型。造模成功次日开始干预，调心通督针刺组选取“百会”“神庭”“水沟”“大椎”“风府”“命门”“内关”“大陵”“劳宫”进行针刺干预，每次30 min；西药对照组予尼莫地平溶液（0.0625 g/kg）灌胃，均每日1次，共干预2周。造模前、造模2周后及干预后采用Morris水迷宫实验对大鼠进行行为学检测；干预后，采用Western blot法检测大鼠海马组织VEGF、Ang-1蛋白表达。结果：与假手术组比较，模型组大鼠平均逃避潜伏期延长（P<0.01），穿越原平台次数减少（P<0.01）；与模型组比较，西药对照组、调心通督针刺组大鼠干预后平均逃避潜伏期缩短（P<0.01），穿越原平台次数增加（P<0.01，P<0.05）。与假手术组比较，模型组大鼠海马组织VEGF、Ang-1蛋白表达均升高（P<0.01，P<0.05）；与模型组比较，西药对照组、调心通督针刺组大鼠海马组织VEGF、Ang-1蛋白表达均升高（P<0.01，P<0.05）。结论：“调心通督”针刺法能明显改善VD大鼠学习记忆能力，其机制可能与上调海马组织VEGF、Ang-1蛋白表达，诱导血管新生有关。.
Keywords: acupuncture technique of Tiaoxin Tongdu; angiogenin-1 (Ang-1); learning and memory ability; vascular dementia (VD); vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).