• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.155-163
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• 2001

It has known that acupuncture exerts various effects, such as analgesia, promotion of homeostasis, improvements in brain circulation, and rectification of internal disorders in Oriental medicine. Of particular, acupuncture at the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) has been widely used to relieve symptoms of diabetes mellitus. The effect of acupuncture at Zusanli on neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-positive neurons in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats was investigated via immunohistochemistry. Decreased nNOS-positive neurons was detected in cerebrocortex of STZ-induced diabetic rats. Needling on the Zusanli in diabetic rats resulted in increase of nNOS-positive neurons in cerebrocortex, The present study indicate that acupuncture may affect nNOS-positive neurons in cerebrocortex of STZ-induced diabetic rats.