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World J Gastroenterol. Feb 28, 2009; 15(8): 973-977
Published online Feb 28, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.973
Protective effects of electroacupuncture on acetylsalicylic acid-induced acute gastritis in rats
Hye Suk Hwang, Kyung-Ju Han, Yeon Hee Ryu, Eun Jin Yang, Yoo Sung Kim, Sang Yong Jeong, Young-Seop Lee, Myeong Soo Lee, Koo Sung Tae, Choi Sun-Mi
Hye Suk Hwang, Kyung-Ju Han, Yeon Hee Ryu, Eun Jin Yang, Yoo Sung Kim, Sang Yong Jeong, Young-Seop Lee, Myeong Soo Lee, Sun-Mi Choi, Department of Medical Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 305-811, South Korea
Sung Tae Koo, Division of Meridian and Structural Medicine, School of Oriental Medicine, Pusan National University, Pusan 609-735, South Korea
Author contributions: Hwang HS, Han KJ contributed equally to this work; Koo ST, Choi SM designed the research; Hwang HS, Han KJ, Kim YS, Jeong SY, Lee YS performed the research; Han KJ, Hwang HS, Ryu YH, Yang EJ, Lee MS analyzed the data and wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Sun-Mi Choi, OMD, PhD, Department of Medical Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, 483 Exporo, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-811, South Korea. smchoi@kiom.re.kr
Telephone: +82-42-8689485     
Fax: +82-42-8639464
Received: September 22, 2008
Revised: December 11, 2008
Accepted: December 18, 2008
Published online: February 28, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the protective effects of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-induced ulceration in rats.

METHODS: We randomly divided 72 rats into three groups including control (administered with distilled water), ASA group (administered 100 mg/kg ASA) and EA group (administered EA + 100 mg/kg ASA). Each rat was fasted for 18 to 24 h before experimentation, and lesion scores, gastric acidity, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 mRNA levels, and total nitric oxide (NO) concentration were measured.

RESULTS: The lesion scores of the EA group were significantly lower than those of the ASA group. Gastric acidity of the ASA and EA groups was reduced compared to the control group. COX-1 and -2 mRNA levels were significantly increased in the EA group as compared to the control and ASA groups, and NO levels were also significantly increased in the EA group as compared to the ASA group.

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that EA-mediated protection against ASA-induced ulceration in rats may occur via gastric defense components.

Keywords: Electroacupuncture; Acute gastritis; Cyclooxygenase; Nitric Oxide