OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its mechanism.

METHODSTwenty patients with Alzheimer's disease were treated by acupuncture with reinforcing kidney and activating blood method for 12 weeks and Baihui (GV 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Xuehai (SP 10) and Geshu (BL 17) were selected. The clinical therapeutic effect were assessed by comparing the scores of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Section (ADAS-Cog) and 8-IPF2alpha concentration in cerebrospinal fluid, blood and urine before and after treatment were detected by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTSAfter treatment, the effective rate was 90.0%. The score of ADAS-Cog was 35. 70 +/- 14. 70 before treatment and 31. 45 +/- 4. 08 after treatment, with a significant difference (P<0. 001). The concentration of 8-IPF2alpha in cerebrospinal fluid, blood and urine were all significantly decreased after treatment (all P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can improve the cognitive ability of AD patients and its possible mechanism may be relative to the decrease in lipid peroxidation in AD patients' brain.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; therapy ; urine ; Cognition ; F2-Isoprostanes ; analysis ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; urine ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

There are growing evidences suggesting a pivotal role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. We investigated oxidative stress in the rat model of preeclampsia, and in clinical cases. Pregnant female rats were injected intraperitoneally with deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and given 0.9% saline as drinking water during their pregnancy. We assessed plasma F2-isoprostane (8-iso-PGF2alpha) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in a rat model, and the same markers in the plasma of maternal blood and fetal cord blood in pregnant women with preclampsia. Blood samples from the umbilical arteries and veins were collected separately. The concentrations of MDA were increased in the preeclampsia groups of animal and humans, compared with the control group; it was significantly increased in the umbilical artery and vein of the preeclampsia group. The concentrations of F2-isoprostane were elevated in the preeclampsia groups of animal and humans, compared with the control group, and the increase in F2-isoprostane concentration was prominent in the umbilical vein than umbilical artery of the preeclampsia group. Therefore, it appears that the placenta has an important role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, and the F2-isoprostanes of the umbilical vein may serve as a relatively reliable marker for ischemic/hypoxic injury to the fetus during the perinatal period.
Animals ; Desoxycorticosterone ; Drinking Water ; F2-Isoprostanes ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; Fetus ; Humans ; Malondialdehyde ; Models, Animal* ; Oxidative Stress ; Placenta ; Plasma ; Pre-Eclampsia* ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women ; Rats* ; Umbilical Arteries ; Umbilical Veins ; Veins