Electro-acupuncture attenuates nitric oxide release from rat striatum after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important diffusible neurotransmitter, which also h as neurotoxicity when it is overproduced. To investigate whether electro-ac upuncture (EA) could inhibit the excessive NO release during cerebral ische mia, we detected NO directly by our self-made NO sensitive electrode. The e lectrode was placed into rat striatum after transient middle cerebral arter y occlusion. NO level was significantly increased upon the onset of ischemi a and reperfusion. EA apparently antagonized the ischemia-elicited rise of NO, although it could not suppress the NO level to baseline. The results in dicated that EA might inhibit directly the elevation of NO following cerebr al ischemia.