Objective To observe the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) of auricular concha region(ACR)

"Zusanli"(ST 36) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) on abnormal skin barrier and color in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus(T 2 DM) rats so as to find a better therapeutic method.Methods Fifty male Sprague Dawley(SD) rats were randomized into control(n=10)

model(n=13)

EA-ST 36-SP 6(n=14) and EA-ACR(n=13) groups.T 2 DM model was established by intra-peritoneal injection of 1% STZ(50 mg/kg) and by feeding the animals with high-fat diet for 30 days.EA(15 Hz

1 mA) was applied to bilateral "Zusanli"(ST 36)

"Sanyinjiao"(SP 6) and ACR respectively for 30 min

once daily for 14 days.Multi Probe Adapter 9 skin measurement system(MPA 9) was used to measure the stratum corneum hydration(SCH)

transepidermal water loss(TEWL)

erythema index(EI)

melanin index(MI) and chromatic aberration values(L.a.b.) of the abdomenal and back(L1-L6) skin

respectively.Results In comparison with the control group and pre-modeling

blood glucose contents of the mo-del

EA-ST 36-SP 6 and EA-ACR groups were increased significantly(P<0.01) after modeling.Compared with the model group

blood glucose levels of both EA-ST 36-SP 6 and EA-ACR groups were down-regulated apparently(P<0.01) after treatment.Thirty days after modeling

the SCH

TEWL

EI

MI

L.and a.levels of the back skin

and the SCH and L.levels of the abdominal skin were decreased significantly(P<0.05)

while the level of b.in the back skin

and those of TEWL

EI

a.and b.of the abdominal skin increased considerably in the model group(P<0.05).After EA

the levels of SCH

TEWL MI

L.a.and b.in the EA-ST 36-SP 6 group

SCH

TEWL

L.and b.in the EA-ACR group of the back skin

and SCH

L.and b.of both EA-ST 36-SP 6 and EA-ACR groups

as well as EI and a.of the EA-ST 36-SP 6 group of the abdominal skin were reversed remar-kably(P<0.05).No significant differences were found between the EA-ST 36-SP 6 and model groups in the levels of EI of the back skin

TEWL and MI of the abdominal skin

and between the EA-ACR and model groups in the levels of SCH

EI

MI and a.of the back skin

and TEWL

EI

MI and a.of the abdominal skin(P>0.05).In spite of a mildly better therapeutic effect of EA-ST 36-SP 6 in regulating some of the abovementioned indexes

no significant differences were found between the two EA groups in all the indexes(P>0.05).Conclusion EA of both ST 36-SP 6 and ACR can effectively down-regulate blood glucose level

suppress DM-induced decrease of SCH

TEWL

L.and a.of the back skin

and SCH of the abdominal skin

and down-regulate b.levels of the back and abdominal skin in T 2 DM rats

showing an improvement of the impaired skin barrier and color changes following EA intervention.