Objective: To study the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) of "Dazhui"(GV 14) and "Mingmen"(GV 4) on hypothalamic corticotrophin releasing hormone(CRH)

plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)

serum cortisol(Cort) and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α contents in adjuvant arthritis rats.Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats were evenly randomized into normal control

model

EA-GV14 and EA-GV4 groups.Arthritis model was established by subcutaneous injection of Freund's complete adjuvant(FCA

(0.1 mL)) into the right hind-paw.EA((15 Hz)

continuous pulses

(1 mA)) was applied to "Dazhui"(GV 14) and "Mingmen"(GV 4) for(20 min)

once every other day and continuously for 8 times.After the rats were killed

hypothalamic tissue and blood sample were taken for detecting hypothalamic CRH

plasma ACTH

serum Cort and TNF-α contents with radioimmunoassay.Results: Compared with normal control group

the swelling rate of the right hindpaw(24 h) after injection of FCA and 16 days after EA increased significantly(P<0.01);while in comparison with model group

the swelling rates of EA-GV14 and EA-GV4 groups were markedly lower(P<0.01).Compared with normal control group

hypothalamic CRH

plasma ACTH

serum Cort and TNF-α contents of model group increased significantly(P<0.05);while in comparison with model group

hypothalamic CRH serum Cort and TNF-α contents in EA-GV14 group

and serum Cort level in EA-GV4 group decreased significantly(P<0.05).No significant differences were found between EA-GV14 and EA-GV4 groups(P>0.05) in these 4 indexes.Conclusion: EA has a marked anti-inflammatory effect in adjuvant arthritis rats and can relieve arthritis stress induced increase of hypothalamic CRH

plasma ACTH

serum Cort and TNF-α levels.