Effect of continued electroacupuncture on induction of interleukin-2 production of spleen lymphocytes from the injured rats.

The present study was to investigate the dynamic changes of the induction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) production of spleen lymphocytes from the rats after operative trauma stress and the regulatory effect of continued electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Zusanli" (St. 36) and "Lanwei" (Extra 33) points on the induction of IL-3 production of spleen lymphocytes from the injured rats. The results showed that the induction of IL-2 production of the rat spleen lymphocytes was significantly decreased on day 1, 3, 5, 7 (P < 0.05), and the minimum level was on day 3 after operative trauma at both dilution 1:8 and dilution 1:16. The induction of IL-2 production was reserved to nearly normal on day 10. Continued stimulation by EA on "St. 36" and "Extra 33" points on day 3, 5, 7 increased the induction of IL-2 production in various degrees at the two dilutions (P < 0.01), or P < 0.05). The results mentioned above implied that the immune function could be depressed by trauma stress. Continued EA stimulation could improve the immunosuppression induced by trauma stress.