Effect of Acupuncture of “Baihui”(GV 20) and “Sishencong”(EX-HN 1) on Memory and Cerebral SOD Activity in Alzheimer's Disease Rats

Objective: To investigate the effect of acupuncture on the memory and SOD activity in the cerebral issues in Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats. Methods: 48 healthy Wister rats were randomly divided into control group (n=11), model group (n=10), medication group (n=10) and acupuncture group (n=11). AD model was established by microinjection of β-amyloid protein (β-AP)1-40 (1 μL) into the hippocampal CA1 region (AP: 2.22 mm; ML: 3.0 mm, DV: 2.8 mm). In acupuncture group, “Baihui”(GV 20) and “Sishencong”(EX-HN 1) were punctured with filiform needles which were lifted, thrust and twirled continuously for 5 min, and then retained for 20 min. The treatment was conducted once daily except Sundays and continuously for one month. Rats of medication group were fed with Piracetum (40 mg/mL, 6 mL/kg/time) once daily for 30 days. The rats' memory was detected with shuttle-box test and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the cerebral issues assayed by enzymological method. Results: Shuttle box test showed that compared with control group, the times and duration of electric shock were significantly more and longer than those of model group (P0.05); while compared with model group, the times and duration of electric shock of both acupuncture and medication groups were significantly more and longer (P0.01). No significant differences were found between two groups in these two indexes, suggesting that both acupuncture and medication can improve AD rats' memory. In comparison with control group, SOD activity in the cerebral tissue lowered considerably; while in comparison with model group, SOD activity of both medication and acupuncture groups increased significantly (P0.01), and no significant difference was found between the later two groups (P0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment can improve AD rats' learning and memory and raise SOD activity in the cerebral tissue.