Objective:To explore the underlying neuroimmunological mechanism of electroacupuncture(EA)in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis(PAR).Methods:One hundred PAR outpatients were evenly randomized into EA group and medication group.Patients in EA group were treated with EA(5-10 mA

80-100 Hz

and 30 min of stimulation)of Sphenopalatine ganglion area

Yingxiang(LI 20)

Shangyingxiang(EX-HN 8)

Yintang(EX-HN 3)

supplemented with other acupoints according to syndrome-differentiation(once daily

10 days being a therapeutic course).Patients of medication group were treated by Cetirizine(10 mg/times

t.i.d

peros).Before and after the treatment

blood samples of the ulnar vein were collected for detecting plasma vasoactive intestinal peptide(VIP)and substance P(SP)contents with radioimmunoassay.Results:After the treatment

of the two 50 cases in EA and medication groups

20(40%)and 16(32%)had an obvious improvement

28(56%)and 24(48%)had an improvement

2(4%)and 10(20%)failed

with the total effective rates being 96% and 80% separately.The therapeutic effect of EA group was significantly superior to that of medication group(P<0.05).Self-comparison of each group showed that after the treatment

both plasma VIP and SP levels of two groups lowered apparently(P<0.05

0.01).Comparison between two groups showed that after the treatment

the content of VIP in EA group was markedly lower than that of medication group

while no significant difference was found between two groups in plasma SP levels(P>0.05).Conclusion:EA can effectively relieve perennial allergic rhinitis patients' clinical symptoms

which is closely related to its functions in lowering plasma VIP and SP levels.