OBJECTIVETo observe the neurological protection effects of "paraplegia-triple-needling method" on rats with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), so as to make a preliminary exploration on its mechanism.

METHODSA total of 45 SD rats were randomly divided into a paraplegia-triple-needling method group (group A), a regular acupuncture group (group B) and a model group (group C), 15 rats in each one. The rats model of incomplete spinal cord injury was established by modified Allen's method. The acupoints of governor vessel and back-shu points next to the vertebras of upper end and lower end of injured segment as well as motor points in key muscle of lower extremities were treated with acupuncture in the group A; the acupoints of governor vessel and back-shu points next to the vertebras of upper end and lower end of injured segment as well as "Huantiao" (GB 30), "Housanli" (ST 36), "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) and "Genduan"(Extra) were treated with acupuncture in the group B; rats in the group C received no treatment after model establishment but grabbing and immobilization. The needles were retained for 15 min in the group A and group B, once a day for 14 times. 1 d, 7 d and 14 d after model establishment, Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) scores were observed in each group; the morphologic change of injured spinal cord and expression of positive cells of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were observed. Results (1) One day after SCI, there was no significant difference of BBB scores among three groups (P> 0. 05); 7 days and 14 days after SCI, BBB scores in the group A and group B were significantly superior to those in the group C (all P<0. 05), and the BBB scores in the group A were superior to those in the group B ( both P<0. 05). (2) There was expression of CGRP positive cells in all three groups, and that in the group A and group B was significantly higher than that in group C (both P<0. 05); 14 days after treatment, the expression in the group A was higher than that in the group B (P<0. 05).

CONCLUSIONThe "paraplegia-triple-needling method" could obviously! improve the motor function of rats with SCI, especially the expression of neuroprotective factor CGRP, which is likely to be one of the mechanisms of neurological protection effect.