Effects of low frequency electroacupuncture on the rehabilitation of immune function in morphine-dependent rats

Objective To observe the effects of low frequency electroacupuncture on the rehabilitation of immune function in morphine dependent rats. Methods Acute morphine dependent rats were established by intraperitoneal injection of morphine and provocating addiction with naloxone. 40 healthy rats were assigned randomly to normal group, model group, electroacupuncture group and auto abstinence group. In the electroacupuncture group, the points of Guanyuan?Mingmeng and Housanli were selected and treated with electroacupuncture. Then with immunofluorescence technique(IFT), the content of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of each group was examined. Results The level of CD4 + and the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + of model group were 29.37±1.75% and 1.19 ±0.08 respectively and decreased significantly when compared with that of normal group ( P 0.01) . The level of CD4 + and the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + of electroacupuncture group were 36.94±3.81% and 1.45±0.12 respectively and increased significantly when compared with that of model group and auto abstinence group ( P 0.01 and P 0.05 respectively),but the difference between electroacupuncture group and normal group was not significant( P 0.05 ). Conclusion Low frequency electroacupuncture can promote the rehabilitation of immune function in morphine dependent rats.