Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Feishu" (BL13) on lung pathological changes, and levels of pulmonary and serum IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in viral pneumonia mice, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of viral pneumonia.
Methods: Fifty Kunming mice were randomly divided into normal control, model, medication, EA and moxibustion groups, with 10 mice in each group. The viral pneumonia model was established by intra-nose drip of influenza A1 virus FM1 (H1N1). Rats of the EA group were treated by EA stimulation of bilateral BL13, those of the moxibustion group treated by ignited moxa-stick, and those of the medication group treated by intraperitoneal injection of Yanhuning injection (10 mg x Kg(-1) x d(-1), solved in 5% glucose solution, 5 mL/time/mouse, once daily for 1 week). Both EA and moxibustion treatments were conducted for 20 min, twice a day for a week. The lung index [lung weight/body weight x 100%] were calculated after the treatment. Pathological changes of the lung were observed under microscope after H.E. staining, and serum and pulmonary IL-10, TNF-alpha levels were detected using solid phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results: Following modeling, the average lung index, serum TNF-alpha, and pulmonary TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels were significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.05), while after the treatment, the average lung index and serum TNF-alpha and pulmonary IL-10 levels in the EA, moxibustion and medication groups were notably down-regulated (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and serum IL-10 contents of the three treatment groups were obviously up-regulated (P < 0.01). The effect of the EA group was apparently superior to that of the medication group in down-regulating lung index (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found among the three treatment groups in the levels of serum TNF-alpha and IL-10, and pulmonary TNF-alpha and IL-10 (P > 0.05). In addition, results of H. E. stain showed that the treatment of medication, moxibustion and EA might reduce H1N1-induced pulmonary pathological changes.
Conclusion: EA stimulation of "Feishu" (BL13) can down-regulate lung index and serum TNF-alpha and up-regulate serum IL-10 level in viral pneumonia mice, which may contribute to its effect in relieving asthma.