The Effect of Acupuncture on Oxidative Stress in Rats with Femur Fractured

The effect of acupuncture on the healing of fractures and oxygen free radicals (ROS) in fractured femur rats has been studied. In this study, 54 female Wistar albino rats (250-300 g in weight) were randomly divided into 10 groups including, control, sacrificed on days 7, 14 and 21 of acupuncture, sacrificed on days 7, 14 and 21 of fracture, and sacrificed on days 7, 14 and 21 of fracture+acupuncture application. The rats in the control group received no treatment. The 0.5 mm thick kirschner wire was advanced intramedullary as retrograde from the fracture line of the proximal part of the bone and fracture detection was performed. After fracture formation, acupuncture (50 Hz, 20 qA, 25 minutes) was applied to the rats. This treatment was applied for 7, 14 and 21 days as 4 sessions per week. The rats were sacrificed 7, 14 and 21 days after fracture formation and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), whole blood glutathione (GSH) levels, erythrocyte catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities were measured. Plasma MDA and GSH levels were statistically significant in all fracture groups compared to the control group (p<0.05). It was observed statistically significant reduction in the fracture+acupuncture groups according to the fracture group (p<0.05). While blood CAT activities in 7 day of fracture was observed statistically significant no change compared to the control group, It showed a statistically significant reduction in 14 and 21 days of fracture compared to the control group. There was a statistically significant decrease in blood SOD, GSH-Px and G6PD activities compared to the control group in fracture groups. CAT, SOD, GSH-Px and G6PD activities showed a significant increase in the fracture+acupuncture groups compared to the fracture group (p<0.05). As a result, the application of acupuncture can positively influence the healing process of the fracture by suppressing the harmful effects of ROS and regulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes