Objective: To observe the effect of proximal and distal acupoint catgut-embedding on the contents of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α(PGF2α) in the uterus, serum Interleukin-2 (IL-2) contents and splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in primary dysmenorrhea (PD) rats，so as to explore the different effects of proximal and distal acupoint catgut-embedding on PD rats.
Methods: Female Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, model, proximal catgut-embedding and distal catgut-embedding groups, with 8 rats in each group. The PD model was established by subcutaneous injection of estradiol ben-zoate (0.5 mg/rat on the first day and 10th day, and 0.2 mg/rat from the 2nd to the 9th day) and intraperitoneal injection of oxytocin (2 U/rat, on the 11th day). Catgut-embedding was applied at bilateral "Guanyuan"(CV4) and "Ciliao"(BL32) in the proximal catgut-embedding group, and bilateral "Sanyinjiao" (SP6) and "Diji"(SP8) in the distal catgut-embedding group. After the treatment, the body writhing times in 30 min and uterine mass were recorded, PGE2 and PGF2αin uterus and IL-2 in serum were assayed by using ELISA, the activity of NK cell in the spleen was detected using MTT colorimetry.
Results: Following modeling, the body writhing times of the model group was increased than that of the control group (P<0.01); After interventions, the body writhing times were decreased in the proximal and distal catgut-embedding groups than those of the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the control group, the uterine mass and uterus PGF2α content were increased (P<0.01), while uterus PGE2, serum IL-2 and splenic NK cell activity were decreased (P<0.01) in the model group. After interventions, the uterine mass and uterus PGF2α were down-regulated (P<0.01, P<0.05), while the contents of uterus PGE2, serum IL-2 and splenic NK cell activity up-regulated (P<0.01) in the proximal and distal catgut-embedding groups in contrast to the model group. The content of uterus PGF2α was down-regulated (P<0.05) and splenic NK cell activity was up-regulated (P<0.01) in the proximal catgut-embedding group than those of the distal catgut-embedding group.
Conclusion: Both proximal and distal acupoint catgut-embeding can increase PGE2 and decrease PGF2α in the uterus, increase the level of serum IL-2 and the activity of NK cells in the spleen in PD model rats, thereby achieving analgesic effect. The effect of proximal catgut-embedding is better than that of distal catgut-embedding.
目的：观察近部与远部穴位埋线对原发性痛经(PD)大鼠子宫组织前列腺素E2(PGE2)和前列腺素F2α(PGF2α)含量、血清白细胞介素-2(IL-2)含量、脾脏自然杀伤(NK)细胞活性的影响，探讨近部与远部穴位埋线对PD大鼠的效应差异。方法：雌性Wistar大鼠随机分为对照组、模型组、近部埋线组、远部埋线组，每组8只。皮下注射苯甲酸雌二醇(第1天和第10天按0.5 mg/只注射，第2~9天按0.2 mg/只注射)联合腹腔注射缩宫素(末次苯甲酸雌二醇给药24 h后，2 U/只)制备PD大鼠模型。近部埋线组选取“关元”“次髎”埋线治疗，远部埋线组选取“三阴交”“地机”埋线治疗，均于造模前1天进行。造模结束后，比较各组大鼠30 min内扭体次数，子宫质量，ELISA法测定子宫组织PGE2、PGF2α含量及血清IL-2含量，MTT比色法检测脾脏NK细胞活性。结果：与对照组比较，模型组大鼠扭体次数增多(P<0.01)；与模型组比较，近部、远部埋线组扭体次数均减少(P<0.01)。与对照组比较，模型组大鼠子宫质量增加(P<0.01)，子宫组织PGE2含量降低(P<0.01)、PGF2α含量升高(P<0.01)，血清IL-2含量降低(P<0.01)，脾脏NK细胞活性降低(P<0.01)；与模型组比较，近部、远部埋线组子宫质量均降低(P<0.01，P<0.05)，子宫组织PGE2含量升高(P<0.01)、PGF2α含量降低(P<0.01)，血清IL-2含量升高(P<0.01)，脾脏NK细胞活性升高(P<0.01)。近部埋线组较远部埋线组PGF2α含量降低(P<0.05)，脾脏NK细胞活性升高(P<0.01)。结论：近部穴位埋线与远部穴位埋线均可提高PD大鼠子宫PGE2含量、血清IL-2含量及脾脏NK细胞活性，降低子宫PGF2α含量，从而达到镇痛效果。且近部取穴治疗一定程度上要优于远部取穴。.
Keywords: Distal catgut-embedding; Primary dysmenorrhea; Prostaglandin E2; Prostaglandin F2α; Proximal catgut-embedding; Splenic NK cell activity.