Acupuncture on the Endometrial Morphology, the Serum Estradiol and Progesterone Levels, and the Expression of Endometrial Leukaemia‐inhibitor Factor and Osteopontin in Rats
Authors:
Open Access
- 30 September 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Vol. 2011 (1) , 606514
Abstract
Although it is well known that acupuncture has beneficial effects on a variety of medical conditions especially in pain relief, nausea, and vomiting, it remains controversial whether it has positive impact on the female reproduction. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the following endometrial receptivity factors: the endometrial morphology, the hormone concentrations, and the protein expression of endometrial leukaemia‐inhibitory factor (LIF) and osteopontin (OPN) could be improved by the acupuncture in clomiphene citrate(CC)‐induced rat model during implantation period. Results showed that, compared with the CC group, glandular development advanced, the serum estradiol levels decreased significantly, and the glandular area and endometrial LIF and OPN expression were significantly higher in acupuncture group. There were no significant differences in serum progesterone levels, endometrial thickness, and stromal area between groups. These results suggest that acupuncture can improve certain aspects of endometrial receptivity in CC‐induced rat model during implantation period, which might result in endometrial state better to female reproduction.Keywords
Funding Information
- Family Planning Science Foundation of Hubei Province (4-289)
This publication has 63 references indexed in Scilit:
- Is Placebo Acupuncture What It Is Intended to Be?Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2011
- Acupuncture and Auricular Acupressure in Relieving Menopausal Hot Flashes of Bilaterally Ovariectomized Chinese Women: A Randomized Controlled TrialEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2010
- Acupuncture at “Zusanli" (St.36) and “Sanyinjiao" (SP.6) Points on the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Study of the Bioavailability of 99mTc‐Sodium Pertechnetate in RatsEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2010
- Are acupoints specific for diseases? A systematic review of the randomized controlled trials with sham acupuncture controlsChinese Medicine, 2010
- Sham Acupuncture May Be as Efficacious as True Acupuncture: A Systematic Review of Clinical TrialsThe Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2009
- Minimal acupuncture is not a valid placebo control in randomised controlled trials of acupuncture: a physiologist's perspectiveChinese Medicine, 2009
- Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: systematic review and meta-analysisBMJ, 2008
- Pediatric Acupuncture: A Review of Clinical ResearchEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2007
- Do the neural correlates of acupuncture and placebo effects differ?Pain, 2007
- Development, pharmacology and clinical experience with clomiphene citrateHuman Reproduction Update, 1996