Abstract
The present study was performed to elucidate the recovery effect of needle-acupuncture (needle-AP) and moxibustion treatments at Gan Shu (BL18) on $CCl_4$ induced hepatic injury in dogs, Total 9 clinically healthy experimental dogs (1 to 2 years old, 2.3-5.3kg body weight) were divided into control (3 dogs), needle-AP (3 dogs) and moxibustion (3 dogs) groups, respectively. Hepatic iniw was induced by intraperitoneal injection with $CCl_4$ (olive oil : $CCl_4=1:1,\;1ml/kg$, once/day). As far the treatments in each group, control group was not treated at all after induction of the hepatic injury till the end of experiment. Needle-Af group was treated by AP at BL18 (once/day, 20 minutes) from the next day of induction of the hepatic injury for 11 days. Moxibustion group was also treated with commercial moxa at BL18 (once/day, 20minutes) for 11days. The changes of the serum alanine transaminase(ALT), aspartate transaminase(AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) activities were investigated on pre, 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 11 days after hepatic injury, respectively. Histopathological changes were also investigated in the liver tissues on day 11 in experimental and control groups. The results obtained in the present study were as follows. In needle-AP group, they showed significant lower values on the 1st (p<0.05) and $3^{rd} day (p <0.05)$ in serum ALT activities, and the $11^{th}$ day in serum GGT activities, compared with those of control group, respectively. However, the significances were not detected in serum AST activities of needle-AP group by comparison with those of control group. In moxibustion group, they showed significant low values on the $1^{st}(p<0.05)$, 3rd day (p<0.05) and $5^{th}$ day (p<0.05) in serum ALT activities, compared with those of control group, respectively. However, significances were not detected in serum GGT and AST activities of moxibustion group by comparison with those of control group. Among the experimental groups, the significant low values were found on $1^{st}\;and\;3^{rd}$ day in serum ALT activities (p<0.05), and $3^{rd}\;and\;5^{th}$ day in serum GGT activities (p<0.05) in needle-AP group, compared by those of moxibustion group, respectively. In addition, the marked recovery findings of histopathological changes in experimental groups were found, compared by those of control group: mild vacuolar degeneration and necrosis findings in needle-AP group, and moderate vacuolar degeneration and necrotic findings in moxibustion group were found, in contrast to severe changes such as accumulation of bile juice, vacuolar degeneration and necrotic findings observed in control group. In conclusion, needle-AP and moxibustion treatments at BL-18 were effective for the recovery for $CCl_4$ induced hepatic injury and needle-AP was more effective than that of moxibustion in dogs.