손상된 말초신경이 정상상태로 회복되는데 침이 어떤 영향을 미치는지 확인하기 위하여 좌골신경을 인위적으로 손상시킨 후 침을 처리한 군 (AG)과 자연적으로 치유된 군 (CG)의 좌골신경내의 유발전위 증가율, 척수내 효소활성도의 변화 및 좌골신경의 미세구조를 비교.관찰하였다. 유발전위 증가율은 CG에서보다 AG에서 높았고, acid phosphatase 활성도는 1CG와 2AG에서 높게 나타났으나 시간이 경과함에 따라 정상상태로 회복되는 경향을 보였다. 손상된 좌골신경의 미세구조적 변화는 CG보다 AG에서 높은 회복율을 나타내었으며 단지 AG에서만 좌골신경 주위에 지방조직이 발달되어있는 것이 관찰되었다. 이상과 같이 손상된 말초신경이 정상상태로 회복되는 속도는 전자침을 처리한 군에서 높았으며, 특히 다른 치료기간보다 초기시기에서 침의 효과가 매우 높다는 것이 확인되었다.
To confirm the effect of electroacupuncture on the regeneration of injured peripheral nerve, the change of evoked potential in the sciatic nerve, the change of enzyme activity in the spinal cord, and morphological change of injured sciatic nerve were examined comparatively in acupuncture group (AG) and control group (CG) after sciatic nerve of guinea pig was injured by purpose. The value of evoked potential after injury of the sciatic nerve was increased in both AG and CG, but the increase rate of that was higher in AG than CG. Acid phosphatase activity of the spinal cord was increased in 1CG and 2AG, but shown are tendency to return to the normal state as time went by. Ultrastructural recovering rate of the injured sciatic nerve was higher in AG than CG. Also, there was developed only adipose tissue in sciatic nerve of AG. As mentioned above, the effect of electroacupuncture on the regeneration of injured peripheral nerve was confirmed experimentally by change of evoked potential, acid phosphatase and ultrastructure. Especially, the effect of electroacupuncture was appeared clearly in an early stage than other treatment stages.
