Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42895204›Full record

ArticleJournal of diabetes research2026

Electroacupuncture Attenuates Peripheral Neuropathy Development in Hyperglycemic Rats and Is Associated With NLRP3 Inflammasome Modulation.

Ziyue Zhu, Qinglan Zou, Chengguo Su, Xi You, Weijian Zeng, Nanxi Li, Bumrungtham Thitinun, Ying Li, Junpeng Yao, Wei Zhang

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of diabetes research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Ziyue ZhuSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9758-1670
Qinglan ZouSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5096-282X
Chengguo SuSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7875-8570
Xi YouSchool of Nursing, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6364-7512
Weijian ZengSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9797-5658
Nanxi LiSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8362-0580
Bumrungtham ThitinunSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1010-3019
Ying LiGraduate School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7554-0958
Junpeng YaoSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0808-8428
Wei ZhangSchool of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, cdutcm.edu.cn.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9487-024X

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82474653Sichuan Provincial Natural Science Foundation Project 2023NSFSC1825
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis study employed a high-energy diet and streptozotocin (STZ) injection to establish a rat model of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), focusing on inflammatory responses. The aim was to investigate the mechanism by which electroacupuncture (EA) improves the neuroinflammatory microenvironment in diabetic rats and attenuates DPN development.

methodTwenty-four male SD rats were randomly assigned using a random number table into control, model, and EA groups, with eight rats in each group. A DPN model was established using a high-energy diet combined with STZ injection. The EA group received intervention immediately after successful diabetic modeling, whereas intervention ceased once DPN modeling was established in the model group. During the intervention period, random blood glucose levels and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) were recorded weekly for rats in each group. After intervention, the neurophysiological status of rats was assessed. The ultrastructure of Schwann cells in the sciatic nerve was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Western Blot and RT-PCR were employed to detect the protein levels and mRNA expression of ASC, caspase-1, NLRP3, and P62. ELISA was implemented to measure IL-18 and IL-1β levels.

resultsCompared with the control, model rats exhibited significantly elevated random blood glucose and PWL levels (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001), markedly reduced motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) (p < 0.0001), and pronounced damage to Schwann cell structure. ASC, caspase-1, NLRP3, and P62 levels were markedly elevated (p < 0.01, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.001; p < 0.001, p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.001), whereas IL-18 and IL-1β levels were notably elevated (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). Compared with the model group, rats in the EA group displayed no marked difference in random blood glucose (p > 0.05), but reduced PWL (p < 0.0001), increased MNCV (p < 0.0001), and milder structural damage to Schwann cells. ASC, caspase-1, NLRP3, and P62 levels were considerably reduced (p < 0.01, p < 0.0001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001; p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05), whereas IL-18 and IL-1β levels were notably diminished (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001).

conclusionEA may protect peripheral nerve tissue morphology and function by suppressing NLRP3 inflammasomes, thereby alleviating inflammatory responses and potentially attenuating the onset and progression of DPN. This process may be associated with autophagy; but further mechanistic studies are needed to establish causality.

Indexed as

Diabetes Mellitus, ExperimentalDiabetic NeuropathiesElectroacupunctureHyperglycemiaInflammasomesNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinAnimalsBlood GlucoseCaspase 1Interleukin-1betaMaleNerve Conduction StudiesRatsRats, Sprague-DawleySchwann CellsSciatic NerveBlood GlucoseCaspase 1InflammasomesInterleukin-1betaNLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 ProteinNlrp3 protein, ratStreptozocindiabetic peripheral neuropathyelectroacupunctureinflammation

Identifiers

PMID42895204
PMCPMC13678854

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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.