Effects of Moxibustion Pretreating on SOD and MDA in the Rat of Global Brain Ischemia

ObjectiveTo probe into the mechanism of moxibustion preconditioning in preventive brain-protecting effect.MethodsThe global brain ischemia rat model was developed by blocking 4 arteries. Seventy-eight Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: a normal control group, a sham-operation group, a brain ischemia group, a brain ischemia preconditioning group, a moxibustion pretreating group. The brains in the 5 groups were taken at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after operation respectively. Superoxide dismulase (SOD) activity was determined with xanthine oxidase method and malondialdehyde (MDA) content with thiobarbituric acid method.ResultsAfter the operation, in the moxibustion preconditioning group, SOD activity significantly increased, especially 24 h after moxibustion preconditioning; and MDA content decreased, with a very significant difference as compared with that of the cerebral ischemia group (P<0.01).ConclusionMoxibustion preconditioning protects the ischemic and anoxic brain tissue by increasing the activity of endogenous antioxidase.