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KMID : 1035420180060040075
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Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
2018 Volume.6 No. 4 p.75 ~ p.82
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The Effects of Stimulation of Acupuncture Point ST36 on Disuse Muscle Atrophy in Rats
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Kim Bum-Hoi
Lee Tae-Sik
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Abstract
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Purpose: Disuse atrophy is a type of muscle atrophy that results in a decrease in muscle size. Disuse muscle atrophy occurs in response to various pathologies, such as joint immobilization, inactivity, or bed rest. Oxidative stress, in which antioxidant proteins and scavenger protection are overwhelmed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, is recognized as one of the central causes of disuse muscle atrophy. ST36, known as the accupoint of Zusanli, is an acupuncture point on the lower leg and one of the most frequently used acupressure points in acupuncture. The present study tested the hypothesis that acupressure at ST36 would attenuate immobilization-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.
Methods: The left hind limb was immobilized using casting tape (ST36 group, n = 10), and the animals were then treated daily with a pressure needle at accupoint ST36. Ten untreated animals with hind limb immobilization and no treatment served as a control group. After 2 weeks of immobilization, the morphologies of the right and left gastrocnemius muscles in both the ST36 and control groups were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Results: The acupressure at the accupoint of Zusanli conferred significant protection against reductions in left gastrocnemius muscle weights and average cross-sectional muscle areas in the ST36 group as compared with those in the control group. Moreover, the acupressure at the ST36 point significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) activity in the gastrocnemius muscles as compared with that in the control group.
Conclusion: These results suggest that acupressure at the accupoint of Zusanli provides protection against immobilization-induced muscle atrophy by decreasing MDA activity in gastrocnemius muscles.
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KEYWORD
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disuse muscle atrophy, gastrocnemius, ST36, reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA)
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