We discuss if electroacupuncture (EA) at Huantiao (GB30) and Yanglingquan (GB34) at 1 mA and 2 Hz after peripheral nerve transection could enhance axonal regeneration and functional recovery in diabetic animals. Four groups of adult rats (group W: normal rats; groups X ,Y and Z : streptozotocin diabetic rats) were subjected to sciatic nerve section followed by repair using silicone rubber conduits across a 10-mm gap. Rats in group Z received EA for 15 minutes every other day for 3 weeks. The groups X and Y received no EA. At 4 weeks after surgery in group Z, immunohistochemical staining showed that lamina I-II regions in the dorsal horn ipsilateral to the injury were significantly calcitonin gene-related peptide-immunolabeled and a significantly higher number of macrophages were recruited in the distal sciatic nerve compared with Y. In groups X and Z, electrophysiological results showed higher levels of reinnervation with significantly shorter latencies and faster nerve conductive velocities, and the histological evaluations showed relatively larger mean values of myelinated axon densities and endoneurial areas compared with Y. Thus, the EA may improve the recovery of a severe peripheral nerve injury in diabetic animals, which could be considered as a supplementary treatment in diabetic neurotrauma.
