Electro-acupuncture protects against hypoxic-ischemic brain-damaged immature rat via hydrogen sulfide as a possible mediator.

We investigated whether hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) may be a mediator of electro-acupuncture (EA) stimulation treatment for hypoxic-ischemic brain-damage (HIBD). We studied a HIBD 7-day-old rat model with 4 types of treatments: (1) 14 sessions of EA; (2) hydroxylamine (HA), an inhibitor of cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), the key enzyme of H(2)S generation; (3) both EA and HA; or (4) no treatment. Sham-treated rats with or without EA were also studied. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was monitored before, during and after EA at different periods of treatment (d1, 7 and 14 sessions). We evaluated motor function, H(2)S levels and CBS expression in the cerebral cortex and prepared cerebral pathomorphological images after 14 sessions of treatment. EA stimulation could increase local blood circulation and improve motor function in HIBD rats. HIBD significantly increased H(2)S levels of brain tissue as compared with sham treatment, and EA treatment could decrease the H(2)S generation. Rats with HIBD receiving both EA and HA therapy showed greatly recovered motor function and brain morphology. H(2)S might be a mediator of EA treatment of HIBD in rats.