We show here that stress proteins (Mr 70K, 85K and 100K) were induced by both electroacupuncture and moxibustion.
Rats (Wister strain, male, 250g) were cauterized with moxa on the hip, and the subcutaneous and intramuscular temperatures of the hip were kept at 45°C and at 39-40°C for 15 minutes. While, another group of rats were electrically stimulated for 15min inserting acupuncture needles as electrodes into the muscle of the hips in the depth of 1cm and using current pulse acupuncture system (5Hz, 3-5mA). Both groups of rats were sacrificed under deep anesthesia and the muscular tissues were excised 3 hours after the stimulations. The proteins extracted from the homogenized and centrifuged tissues in the two groups of rats and control rats were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoreses. The heat shock proteins with molecular weight of 70000 (Mr 70K, hsp 70), 85000 (Mr 85K, hsp 85) and 100000 (Mr 100K, hsp 100) were detected in the rats stimulated by moxibustion. The stress proteins of molecular mass 70000, 85000 and 100000 similar to hsps induced by moxibustion were found in the rats stimulated by electroacupuncture.