OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) at Fenglong (ST40) on inflammatory factors in macrophages of hyperlipemia (HLP) rats, and to explore the role of EA in treating HLP.

METHODSTotally 50 adult male SD rats were selected. After one-week adaptative feeding, they were randomly divided into 5 groups, i.e., the blank control group (Group A), the model group (Group B), the diet control group (Group C), the EA group (Group D), the diet control + EA group (Group E), 10 in each group. By the end of treatment, all rats were sacrificed to get blood from the carotid artery. The contents of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined. Peritoneal macrophages were isolated. Contents of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were detected using flow cytometry (FCM) after adding the fluorescein-labeled molecule antibodies of inflammatory factors.

RESULTSCompared with Group A, the serum contents of TC and LDL-C obviously increased and HDL-C significantly decreased in Group B (all P < 0.01). There was no obvious change in the content of TG between Group A and Group B (P > 0.05). Compared with Group B, the contents of TC and LDL-C significantly decreased in Group C, D, and E (P < 0.01). Compared with Group C, serum contents of TC and LDL-C obviously decreased in Group D and E (P < 0.01). Compared with Group B, the content of macrophages significantly increased in Group A (P < 0.01). Compared with Group B, the content of macrophages significantly decreased in Group D and E (P < 0.01), more obviously in Group E (P < 0.01). Compared with Group C, the content of macrophages significantly decreased in Group E (P < 0.05). Compared with Group A, levels of ICAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 in the peritoneal macrophages significantly increased in Group B (P < 0.01). Compared with Group B, levels of ICAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 significantly decreased in Group C, D, and E, but more obviously in Group E (P < 0.01). Compared with Group C, levels of ICAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-alpha (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and IL-6 (P < 0.05) significantly decreased in Group E.

CONCLUSIONEA at Fenglong (ST40) could obviously downregulate the serum levels of TC and LDL-C in HLP rats, reduce the contents of macrophages, ICAM-1, MCP-1, TNF-alpha, and IL-6, thus arriving at the therapeutic effect in treating HLP.