[Effect of acupuncture combined with intraperitoneal injection of paclitaxel on apoptosis in Lewis mice with lung carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture in combination with Paclitaxel on apoptosis in Lewis lung carcinoma mice so as to investigate their anti-cancer mechanism. METHODS: A total of 48 mice with inoculated Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) were randomized into model, acupuncture, medication and acupuncture + medication groups, with 12 cases in each group. LLC model was established by subcutaneously incubating LLC cells into the left hindlimb of the C17 BL/6 mice. "Feishu" (BL13) was punctured and stimulated manually by manipulating the acupuncture needle with small amplitude for 1 main twice again, followed by intraperitoneal injection of Paclitaxel (10 mg/kg). The treatment was given once daily, continuously for 10 days. The tumor weight was recorded, the inhibitory rate of LLC calculated and the apoptosis of LLC cells displayed with TUNEL method. RESULTS: Compared with model group, the tumor weight values of acupuncture, medication and acupuncture + medication groups were significantly lower (P < 0.05), and the tumor inhibitory rates and the apoptotic index (Al) were markedly higher (P < 0.05). Comparison among acupuncture, medication and acupuncture + medication groups showed that the tumor weight values of the later 2 groups were obviously lower than that of acupuncture group, and that of acupuncture + medication group was apparently lower than the weight of medication group (P < 0.05); while the inhibitory rate of tumor and Al in acupuncture + medication group were significantly higher than those in acupuncture and medication groups (P < 0.05). The findings showed that acupuncture, medication and acupuncture + medication could significantly suppress the growth of tumor and promote apoptosis of LLC cells, and the effect of the combined treatment group was significantly superior to that of simple acupuncture and medication. CONCLUSION: Combination of acupuncture and Paclitaxel has a synergistic effect in inhibiting the growth of LLC and accelerating apoptosis of tumor cells.