Dynamic study of the effect of electroacupuncture on dopamine in the striatum for rats with cerebral ischemia and reperfusion

Object: To observe the dynamic changes of dopamine (DA) in the striatum with the process of duplicating cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (CIR) model on rats. And observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on such changes. Methods: Using microdialysis sampling, high performance liquidchromatography (HPLC) detecting technology, dynamic sampling from experimental animals at multiple moments to observe the changes of dopamine in striatum with ischemia. And observe the effect of EA at Fengchi (GB 20) on such changes. Result: About the extracellular level of DA in normal group, sham-operation group and sham-operation + EA group, no significant changes were observed during the measuring period. The extracellular level of DA peaked at 15-45 min after MCAO and 0-30 min (P < 0.05) after reperfusion. A rising trend was also observed following 120 min after reperfusion. After EA, the extracellular level of DA was significant lower than ischemia group following 90 min after reperfusion (P < 0.05). And there was no peak again. Conclusion: EA at Fenchi (GB 20) can regulate the disorder of DA. EA can improve the integrity neurological function. This may be one of the mechanisms of acupuncture treating the lesion of cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. © Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian and Springer-Verlag GmbH 2008.