Treatment by auricular acupuncture has a long history. Ear-acupoint research has been advancing step by step in China and also in Europe. Auricles are rich in nerves, therefore a close relationship with different functions of the human body has been proved by the research teams of the two main authors of this article from China and Austria. In recent years, great progress has been made in the research of regulating human body functions through electroacupuncture at the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, which is part of auricular acupuncture therapy. It is well known that the auricular branch of the vagus nerve is the only peripheral pathway to the cerebral cortex. Studies of the Chinese team on hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy and depression have shown that the mechanism of auricular vagus nerve stimulation （VNS） may be comparable with cervical VNS in terms of pathways. Auricular VNS has a broad clinical application prospect.
目的:观察耳甲区电针对脂多糖致内毒素血症模型大鼠血清炎性反应因子水平与肺组织核因子κB(NF-κB)表达的影响,探讨耳甲刺激对炎性反应的保护作用机制。方法:SD大鼠随机分为正常对照组、模型组、单纯耳甲电针组、耳甲电针组、迷走神经刺激组、后三里组,每组12只。尾静脉注射脂多糖(5 mg/kg)复制内毒素血症模型。耳甲电针取双侧耳甲区,迷走神经刺激给予左侧颈部迷走神经电刺激,后三里组行双侧"后三里"电针,均为20 min。采用酶联免疫吸附法测定各组大鼠血清肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)和白介素-6(IL-6)水平,采用免疫印迹法测定各组肺组织NF-κB p 65蛋白表达。结果:与正常对照组相比,模型组TNF-α、IL-6水平明显升高(P<0.01),NF-κB p 65表达明显上调(P<0.01);单纯耳甲电针组NF-κB p 65表达明显上调(P<0.01)。与模型组相比,耳甲电针组和迷走神经刺激组TNF-α、IL-6水平明显下降(P<0.01),NF-κB p65表达明显下调(P<0.01);后三里组TNF-α水平明显下降(P<0.05)。与迷走神经刺激组相比,耳甲电针组IL-6水平显著升高(P<0.01),后三里组TNF-α、IL-6水平、NF-κB p 65表达显著升高(P<0.05,P<0.01)。与耳甲电针组相比,后三里组NF-κB p65表达显著升高(P<0.05)。结论:耳甲刺激能降低内毒素血症模型大鼠致炎因子水平,下调NF-κB蛋白表达,其效应与直接刺激迷走神经相似,说明耳甲刺激可能激活了胆碱能抗炎通路,从而启动抗炎效应。
