Objective To observe the effect of Electroacupuncture(EA)stimulation of"Tianquan"(PC 2)

"Quze"(PC 3)

"Neiguan"(PC 6)

"Daling"(PC 7)of the Pericardium Meridian on cerebral angiogenesis in cerebral ischemia(CI)rats

so as to reveal its mechanisms underlying improvement of stroke.Methods A total of 50 SD rats were equally randomized into normal control

sham

model

EA-Pericardium-Meridian acupoints(EA-PCM)and EA-Lung-Meridian acupoint(EA-LUM)groups.The CI model was established by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery.EA(2-4V

20Hz)was applied to PC 2

PC 3

PC 6

PC 7and"Tianfu"(LU 3)

"Chize"(LU 5)

"Lieque"(LU 7)

"Taiyuan"(LU 9)of the Lung Meridian for 30 min

once at timepoints of 0h

6h

24 h

48hand 72 h

respectively after modeling.Serum nerve growth factor(NGF)and Nogo protein-A(Nogo-A)contents were assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)

and cerebral NGF and Nogo-A immunoactivity levels in the ischemic cerebral tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry.Results(1)Compared to the normal control group

serum NGF and Nogo-A contents

and cerebral NGF immunoactivity level in the model group were significantly increased(P<0.01).Following EA interventions

serum and cerebral NGF levels were further significantly up-regulated in the EA-PCM and EA-LUM groups(P<0.01)

while serum Nogo-A contents were down-regulated in the two EA groups(P<0.01).The effect of EA-PCM was markedly superior to that of EA-LUM in up-regulating serum and cerebral NGF levels and down-regulating serum Nogo-A level(P<0.01).No significant differences were found between the normal control and sham groups in serum and cerebral NGF and Nogo-A levels(P>0.05)

and among the 5groups in cerebral Nogo-A levels(P>0.05).Conclusion EA stimulation of acupoints of both Pericardium Meridian and Lung Meridian can up-regulate serum NGF

cerebral NGF expression and downregulate serum Nogo-A in CI rats

and the effect of Pericardium Meridian is markedly superior to that of Lung Meridian

suggesting apossible better nerve repair effect of EA-PCM acupoints on ischemic brain.