Acupuncture has been used to treat diabetes mellitus(DM)for more than one thousand years.In the present paper

we review new progress of researches on the underlying mechanism of acupuncture intervention for DM.Results showed that acupuncture intervention can relieve DM by 1)reducing body weight through up-regulating leptin level

suppressing insulin resistance and appetite to reduce food intake possibly by way of down-regulating expression of neuropeptide Y in the hypothalamus

retarding gastric emptying velocity

increasing small intestinal peristalsis

raising plasma levels of glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1)and peptide YY

etc.;2)improving pancreas function

raising insulin sensitivity to improve insulin resistance possibly by activating AMP-activated protein kinase and sirtuin 1/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγcoactivator 1αsignaling

up-regulating activities of cholinergic nerve activity and nitric oxide synthase

and inhibiting apoptosis of pancreatic beta-cells;3)lowering blood glucose possibly by increasing anaerobic glucose metabolism

regulating activities of vagal and sympathetic nerves;4)adjusting the levels of related hormones such as melatonin

insulin

glucocorticold

epinephrine

etc.Moreover

acupuncture treatment combined with hypoglycemic drugs has a synergic effect in lowering blood glucose

suggesting apotentially effective approach for improving DM and being worthy of further studying in clinical practice.