| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on lipid metabolism in rats with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: 44 rats were divided into blank group and NAFLD group. The rats in the NAFLD group were randomly selected to be given blank treatment (control) or electroacupuncture stimulation on acupoints (EA), non-acupoints (ENA). The EA pointed to "Feng long", "Zu sanli", "Tai chong" and "San yinjiao". The ENA pointed to four points in the middle one third of the rat tails without touching the veins. Four weeks after the treatment, serum levels of adipinectin (ADP), leptin (LEP), free fatty acids (FFA), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) of the rats were tested with immunoreagent. RESULTS: Compared with controls, the rats with EA treatment had significantly lower levels of serum LEP, LDL, FFA, TC and TG, and higher levels of serum ADP and HDL (P<0.05). The rats with EA treatment also experienced less fatty degeneration in hepatic tissues. Such changes were not observed in the rats with ENA treatment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: EA (Feng long, Zu sanli, Tai chong, San yinjiao) increases serum ADP and HDL, lowers LEP, LDL, FFA, TC and TG, and thereby reduces lipogenesis and liver fat deposition. |
