Objective To observe the effect of preventive-electroacupuncture(PEA) at "Guanyuan"(CV 4) and "San-yinjiao"(SP 6)on hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary(HPO)activities in ovariectomized(OVX) rats

and to compare the specificity of efficacy of acupoints.Methods Sixty-two female SD rats were randomly divided into normal group(n=6)

sham-operation(sham) group(n=6)

model group(n=6)

PEA-Guanyuan(CV 4

PEA-CV 4) group(n=11)

PEA-Sanyinjiao(SP 6

PEA-SP 6) group(n=11)

complementary(C)-PEA-CV 4(n=11) and C-PEA-SP 6 group(n=11).Climacterium model was duplicated by removing the bilateral ovaries.Before OVX

electroacupuncture(EA

2 Hz/100 Hz

) was applied to bilateral SP 6

CV 4 for 20 min

once every other day for 15 times.For rats of the C-PEA-CV 4 and C-PEA-SP 6 groups and 12 days after the OVX

PEA was applied to CV 4 and SP 6 again

once every other day for 5 times.For rats of the sham group

a little of fat nearby the ovary was removed.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the contents of gonadotropin releasing hormone(GnRH) in the hypothalamus

follicule-stimulating hormone(FSH) and luteinizing hormone(LH) in the hypophysis

and estrogen(E2) in the uterus.Results In comparison with the normal group

uterus E2 content was decreased significantly(P<0.05)

and pituitary FSH and LH contents and hypothalamic GnRH content were increased obviously(P<0.01) in the model group.Compared with the model group

uterus E2 levels in the PEA-CV 4 and C-PEA-CV 4 groups were increased apparently(P<0.05)

while both pituitary FSH and hypothalamic GnRH levels in the PEA-CV 4

C-PEA-CV 4

PEA-SP 6 and C-PEA-SP 6 groups

and pituitary LH levels in the C-PEA-CV 4 and PEA-SP 6 groups were down-regulated markedly(P<0.05

P<0.01)

suggesting an improvement of the HPO axis activity following PEA and C-PEA.No significant differences were found between the normal and sham groups in uterus E2

pituitary FSH and LH

and hypothalamic GnRH contents

and between the model and PEA-SP 6 groups

and between the model and C-PEA-SP 6 groups in uterus E2 levels

and between the model and PEA-CV 4 groups

and between the model and C-PEA-SP 6 groups in pituitary LH levels(P>0.05).Conclusion Preventive EA of "Guanyuan"(CV 4) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) can function in up-regulating uterus E2 level

and down-regulating pituitary FSH and LH contents and hypothalamic GnRH level in OVX rats

which may contribute to its efficacy in relieving climacteric syndrome in clinic.