| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) intervention on liver function and retinol binding protein 4 (RBP 4) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) rats, so as to study its mechanisms underlying improving liver function. METHODS: A total of 44 SD rats were randomly allocated to normal control, model, EA and non-acupoint groups, with 11 rats in each group. NAFLD model was established by feeding the rats with high glucose and high fat forage for 5 weeks. EA (2 Hz, 1.5 V, 15 min) was applied to unilateral "Fenglong" (ST 40), "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) and "Taichong" (LR 3), once daily for 4 weeks. Serum RBP 4 content was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), and triglycerides (TG) contents were detected by chromatometry. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, serum AST, ALT, TC, TG and RBP 4 contents in the model group were increased significantly (P<0. 01), while in comparison with the model group, the levels of the abovementioned 5 serum indexes were down-regulated considerably in the EA group (P < 0.05) rather than in the non-acupoint group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EA intervention can lower serum AST, ALT, TC, TG and RBP 4 contents in NAFLD rats, which may be responsible for its action in improving NAFLD in clinic. |
