Acupuncture Suppresses Intrastriatal Hemorrhage-Induced Neuronal Cell Death and Proliferation in Rats

Objectives : Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the most devastating types of stroke. The effect of acupuncture on the intrastriatal hemorrhage-induced neuronal cell death and cell proliferation in rats is examined. Methods : Cell death and cell proliferation in rats was investigated via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and immunohistochemistry for caspase-3 and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Results : Results showed that apoptotic cell death in the striatum and cell proliferation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus significantly increased following intrastriatal hemorrhage in rats, and that acupunctural treatment at the Zusanli acupoint suppressed the hemorrhage-induced increase in apoptosis in the striatum and cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus. Conclusions : It is suggested that acupunctural treatment, especially at the Zusanli acupoint, may aid recovery following central nervous system sequelae following ICH.