Experimental Study of Electroacupuncture Therapy in Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Aim and Background: Acupuncture and moxibustion was applied in the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM), which was termed the Xiao-Ke syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Also, the metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Persistent hyperglycemia may exhaust beta cells, leading to their demise. Loss of beta cell mass and function are central to the development of both type I and II DM. Therefore, treating insulin resistance is important. Recently, the electric stimulation was combined with acupuncture named electroacupuncture (EA) in the treatment of diseases and there were serial experimental studies in DM from basic animal to clinical studies and recent investigations have explored the efficacy of EA for enhancing insulin sensitivity and suggested a hypoglycemic effect of EA for insulin resistance. This chapter will review and summarize the related studies. Materials and Methods: Firstly, the use of acupuncture in DM is introduced in ancient traditional Chinese medicine, and the using acupoints for treating DM in animal studies is summarized from modern basic experimental studies. Secondary, the classification of DM and experimental animal models in EA studies is illustrated and listed into type I & type II DM, then to illustrate DM animal models apply in the study of plasma glucose regulation. Finally, the passible mechanisms of EA in the regulation of plasma glucose then is hypothesized also use the hypoglycemic effect to explore the interaction between EA and Drugs. Results: A serial animal studies had been studied in the EA regulating the plasma glucose in diabetic animal models or animal in insulin resistance state. Hypoglycemic activity of EA on the Zhongwan (CV12) and Zusanli acupoints (ST36) was obtained under anesthesia by the serial studies. EA stimulating cholinergic nerve via adrenal grand secreting EOPs for encourage insulin secretion from pancreas. Then, activating insulin signaling pathway or non-insulin dependent by opioid receptor activation for lowering plasma glucose. Also, serotonin, NO and FFA might involve in the EA stimulation for improving hypoglycemic effect or insulin sensitivity and depended on different acupoints or different frequencies induced different pathway of mechanism. Furthermore, there was certain interaction between EA and drugs (oral hypoglycemic agent, steroids, volatile anesthetics…etc.).

Conclusion: Although there were serial of animal studies and small samples size randomized control clinical trial (RCT) in human of combined therapy, large sample size and multiple centers of RCTs should be further studied for the lowering plasma glucose or improving insulin sensitivity effect of EA stimulating on DM patients.