Comparison of the anti-apoptotic effects of 15- and 35-minute suspended moxibustion after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury

• Main Authors: Ai-jiao Xiao, Lin He, Xin Ouyang, Jie-min Liu, Ming-ren Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2018-01-01
• Series: Neural Regeneration Research
• Subjects: nerve regeneration; suspended moxibustion; middle cerebral artery occlusion; cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury; infarct volume; apoptosis; Bcl-2; Bax; caspase-9; caspase-3; neural regeneration; traditional Chinese medical therapy
• Online Access: http://www.nrronline.org/article.asp?issn=1673-5374;year=2018;volume=13;issue=2;spage=257;epage=264;aulast=Xiao

Heat-sensitive suspended moxibustion has a neuroprotective effect against focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The duration of heat-sensitive suspended moxibustion (usually from 30 minutes to 1 hour) is longer than traditional suspended moxibustion (usually 15 minutes). However, the effects of 15- and 35-minute suspended moxibustion in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury are poorly understood. In this study, we performed 15- or 35-minute suspended moxibustion at acupoint Dazhui (GV14) in an adult rat model of focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. Infarct volume was evaluated with the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride assay. Histopathological changes and neuronal apoptosis at the injury site were assessed by hematoxylin-eosin staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling assay. Caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression at the injury site was detected using immunofluorescent staining. Bax and Bcl-2 expression at the injury site was assessed using western blot assay. In the 35-minute moxibustion group, infarct volume was decreased, neuronal apoptosis was reduced, caspase-9, caspase-3 and Bax expression was lower, and Bcl-2 expression was increased, compared with the 15-minute moxibustion group. Our findings show that 35-minute moxibustion has a greater anti-apoptotic effect than 15-minute moxibustion after focal cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.