Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40756569›Full record

ArticleOpen life sciences2025

Electroacupuncture alleviates sciatic nerve injury in sciatica rats by regulating BDNF and NGF levels, myelin sheath degradation, and autophagy.

Zhengmao Liu, Qijuan Zhang, Xiaoli Zhang, Qing He, Yu Tian

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Open life sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zhengmao LiuDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wuhan Orthopaedics Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (The Affiliated Hospital of Wuhan Sports University), No. 279 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430079, China.
Qijuan ZhangDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wuhan Orthopaedics Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (The Affiliated Hospital of Wuhan Sports University), No. 279 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430079, China.
Xiaoli ZhangWuhan Fiberhome Technical Service Co., Ltd, Wuhan, 430000, China.
Qing HeDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wuhan Orthopaedics Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (The Affiliated Hospital of Wuhan Sports University), No. 279 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430079, China.
Yu TianDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wuhan Orthopaedics Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine (The Affiliated Hospital of Wuhan Sports University), No. 279 Luoyu Road, Hongshan District, Wuhan, 430079, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of electroacupuncture in alleviating sciatic nerve injury. A rat model for sciatic nerve crush injury was established using clamping forceps, and then electroacupuncture at the "Zusanli" (ST36) and Huantiao" (GB30) acupoints was performed. The values of sciatic functional index (SFI), paw withdrawal latency (PWL), and paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) were evaluated. The mRNA expression of neurotrophic factors in nerve tissues was examined by RT-qPCR analysis. Morphometric analyses of transverse sections at the sciatic nerve distal to injury were performed 8 weeks post-injury. Immunofluorescence staining of sciatic nerve and western blotting were performed to measure the expression of myelin protein zero (MPZ) and autophagy markers. The experimental results displayed that the motor and sensory functions of sciatic nerve crush injury rats were restricted by pressure application. Electroacupuncture ameliorated sciatic nerve injury by increasing SFI, PWT, and PWL values in model rats during the recovery period. Electroacupuncture upregulated the mRNA expression of neurotrophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor), increased the diameter of fibers and axon, and increased the thickness of myelin sheath after electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture reduced MPZ and p62 expression while increasing LC3B and beclin-1 expression. In conclusion, electroacupuncture alleviates sciatic nerve injury by promoting nerve regeneration and autophagy.

Indexed as

autophagyelectroacupuncturenerve regenerationsciatic nerve injury

Identifiers

PMID40756569
PMCPMC12317652

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.