EFFECTS OF MOXIBUSTION ON BEHAVIORAL CHANGES AND BRAIN OXIDATIVE STATE IN APOLIPOPROTEIN E-DEFICIENT MICE

Objective: To determine whether moxibustion influences the learning and memory ability of the apolipoprotein E-deficient(ApoE-/-) male mice by altering oxidative stress markers(superoxide dismutase(SOD) and malondialdehyde(MDA)) and oxidized proteins(glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and mortalin) in the hippocampus.Methods: Thirtheen wild-type C57BL/6 normal mice were allocated into the control group while 33 ApoE-/- mice were randomly divided into 3 groups(n=11): model group, shammoxibustion group, and real moxibustion group.Mice of the real moxibustion group received 20 min of moxibustion 6 d per week for 12 weeks on acupoint Shenque(RN8).In the sham control group, the moxa stick was not burned.The step-down test and open-field test were conducted during the 13 th week.Brain GFAP and mortalin levels were evaluated using immunohistochemicalstaining.Levels of MDA and activity of SOD were determined by colorimetric method.Results: In the step-down test, in the aspect of learning record, the moxibustion group(5.82±5.30; 0.33±0.50) demonstrated shorter reaction time(P<0.05) and committed less wrong times(P<0.05) than the sham-moxibustion group(67.68±87.36; 2.17±1.94).In the open-field test, there was no significant difference between the moxibustion group and the sham control.Moreover, SOD activity was increased(P<0.05) and MDA level was significantly decreased(P<0.05) in the moxibustion group(104.68±15.06; 6.30±1.43) compared with that in the sham-control group(84.85±5.44; 8.01±1.20).Both the sham-moxibustion group and the moxibustion group had similar GFAP level in the hippocampus.There was a decreasing tendency of mortalin level in the real moxibustion group compared with the sham moxibustion group.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that moxibustion may enhance learning capability and tend to have an effect on cognitive abilities of ApoE-/- mice by scavenging oxygen free radicals, stimulating antioxidant enzyme activity and reducing oxidized proteins in the brain.Further studies are needed to investigate the effect of moxibustion on other brain oxidized protein.