A sustained, non-insulin related, hypoglycaemic effect of electroacupuncture in diabetic Psammomys obesus

Aim/hypothesis. Electroacupuncture has been shown to induce a short-term hy poglycaemic effect in streptozotocin diabetic rats. We designed an experime nt to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture in Psammomys obesus, a m odel of insulin resistance and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Methods. We divided 29 diabetic Psammomys randomly into three groups: abdom inal electroacupuncture (real, n = 11), back electroacupuncture (placebo, n = 9) and control (anaesthesia, n = 9). Electroacupuncture was carried out on days 1, 3 and 5 of the experiment. During the first week of the experime nt, blood glucose was tested three times on treatment days and once on the following days. Over the next 2 weeks, blood glucose was tested every other day. Animals were weighed at the same time of blood sampling. After 3 week s, at the end of the experiment, blood was drawn for measurement of insulin , fructosamine, cholesterol and triglycerides. Results. At day 5 (end of intervention), blood glucose (as per cent of prim ary concentrations, means +/- SE) was 57 +/- 10, 93 +/- 13 and 89 +/- 11 fo r the real, placebo and control groups respectively (p = 0.02). At day 8, b lood glucose 68 +/- 14, 86 +/- 16 and 97 +/- 9 for the real, placebo and co ntrol groups respectively (p = 0.04). At day 22, blood glucose was 79 +/- 1 1, 85 +/- 15 and 131 +/- 2 for the real, placebo and control groups (p = 0. 04). Comparison of the decline in blood glucose, throughout the 3 weeks, be tween the real and placebo groups by ANOVA was highly significant (p < 0.00 01), the difference between the placebo and control groups at the same time was not significant (p > 0.05). Animal weight gain, serum insulin, fructos amine, cholesterol and triglycerides were not significantly different betwe en real and placebo groups. Conclusion/interpretation. Electroacupuncture at special abdominal acupoint s induces a sustained hypoglycaemic effect in diabetic Psammomys compared w ith electroacupuncture at non-specific points, without weight loss. No hypo insulinaemic effect was shown in the real and placebo groups.