Effect of Acupuncture on the Cellular Immune Function of the Rat under Stress State

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture of 6 acupoints of the Conception Vessel (CV) on the activities of NK cells and interleukin(IL)-2. Methods: NIH mice were randomized into control group (n=15), stress group (n=15), handle-needling group (n=15) and electroacupuncture (EA) group (n=15). Danzhong(CV 17), Yutang(CV 18), Zigong(CV 19), Huagai(CV 20), Xuanji(CV 21) and Tiantu(CV 22) were punctured with acupoint to acupoint penetration method and stimulated for 20 min. The treatment was conducted once daily, with 10 days being a therapeutic course and with the interval between two courses being one week. Following 3 courses of treatment, the mouse was killed for sampling spleen and thymus tissues. NK cell and IL-2 activities in cell suspension of the spleen and thymus were detected. Results: In stress group, both NK cell and IL-2 activities were significantly lower than those of control group, while those of handle-needling and EA groups were apparently higher than those of stress group (P0.05～ 0.01), suggesting that acupuncture can raise NK cell and IL-2 activities in stress mice. Conclusion: Both handle-needling and electroacupuncture can enhance activities of NK cells and IL-2 in stress mice.