OBJECTIVETo observe effect of serum of the rat after acupuncture on Ca2+ content of cultured nervous cells in vitro for exploring the role of humoral factors in acupuncture.

METHODSNeurons of the cerebral cortex from the new born rats were taken and were cultured in a medium, 7 - 10 days later, fluorescein-molecular probe Fluo-3AM was used for staining of intracellular Ca2+. The intracellular Ca2+ levels in the nervous cells cultured with the serum of the normal rats or the rats given acupuncture at "Baihui" (GV 20), "Zusanli" (ST 36), "Quchi" (LI 11) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) for 2 weeks were determined by using a laser confocal microscope.

RESULTSAfter addition of the serum of.normal rats, the intracellular Ca2+ level increased and then gradually got stable, and when the acupuncture serum was added to the cultured medium, its level decreased to a certain extent.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture serum can significantly decrease Ca2+ level in cultured cells of the cerebral cortex, which provides a direct evidence for involvement of humoral factors in the role of acupuncture.