• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.39-55
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• 2011

Objectives : Inchinohryungsan has been used for treatment of hepatobiliary diseases. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Inchinohryungsan pharmacopuncture on hepatocellular carcinoma in rats. Sprague Dawley(SD) rats of the control and experimental groups received intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg DEN, weekly for 12 weeks. Methods : Rats were divided into 5 groups. Normal group was not induced hepatocellular carcinoma and not treated. Control group was induced hepatocellular carcinoma and injected with Inchinohryungsan pharmacopuncture into the root of tail. Experimental groups were induced hepatocellular carcinoma. BL group was injected with Inchinohryungsan pharmacopuncture into the $BL_{18}$ and $LR_{14}$, BG group was injected into the $BL_{19}$ and $GB_{24}$ and CSC group was injected into the $CV_{12}$, $ST_{25}$ and $CV_4$. Thereafter, the changes of the body weight, the liver weight and the weight of liver/100g body weight, WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte and the activities of AST, ALT, ALP, LDH, AFP and SOD were measured. And gross anatomy, light and electron microscopy were performed. Results : The significant results were as follows, 1. The activities of LDH were significantly decreased in CSC group compared with control group. 2. The activities of AFP were significantly decreased in the BL, BG, CSC groups compared with control group. 3. The activities of SOD were increased in the BL, BG, CSC groups compared with control group and CSC group was significantly increased than normal group. 4. According to the gross anatomical observation, the control and BL, BG, CSC groups showed multi-nodular hepatocellular carcinoma. But the size and numbers of the hepatocellular carcinoma in experimental groups were smaller than control group. 5. The numbers of hepatic p53 positive cells were decreased in the BL, BG groups compared with control group. 6. According to the light and electron microscopical observation, the BL, BG and CSC groups were mildly improved than control group in morphological and histopathological changes. Conclusions : These results suggested that Inchinohryungsan pharmacopuncture may have some effects on hepatocellular carcinoma induced by DEN in rats.