Abstract:
OBJECTIVE To observe the fever-reducing effect of pricking-cupping method on endotoxin-induced fever in rabbits, and to further explore the fever-reducing mechanism of pricking-cupping method from the perspective of skeletal muscle mitochondrial energy metabolism.
METHODS A total of 72 rabbits were randomly divided into blank group, model group, Western medicine group, pricking group, cupping group and pricking-cupping group, with 12 rabbits in each group.The rabbit model of endotoxin-induced fever was reproduced and the corresponding therapeutic intervention was carried out.The body temperature of rabbits was recorded continuously for 6 h.The mitochondrial structure was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Oxygraph-2k system was used to detect mitochondrial function.ATP content in thigh muscle tissue of rabbits in each group was detected.The expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) and mitochondrial fusion protein 2 (Mfn2) in thigh muscle of rabbits was detected by Wes automated western blot quantitative analysis system.
RESULTS The model was successfully replicated, and the body temperature of rabbits in the four treatment groups was lower than that in the model group. The skeletal muscle mitochondrial morphology of rabbits in the blank group was intact, and the mitochondrial morphology was closest to normal after the treatment of pricking-cupping. Moreover, the oxygen consumption of mitochondrial CII OXPHOS stage in the pricking-cupping group was significantly higher than that in the model group. Compared with the model group, the ATP content in the muscle tissue of rabbits in the pricking-cupping group was significantly increased, Mfn2 protein expression was significantly increased, and UCP2 protein expression was significantly decreased.
CONCLUSION The pricking-cupping method has a good fever-reducing effect on endotoxin-induced fever in rabbits, and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting UCP2 protein expression in skeletal muscle, promoting Mfn2 protein expression, promoting the oxidative phosphorylation process in skeletal muscle mitochondria, and increasing ATP synthesis in mitochondria.