| Abstract: | AIM：To study the low-frequency electric stimulation on the serum hormone levels in Chinese tree shrews. METHODS：Chinese tree shrews were given low-frequency electric stimulation, or intramuscularly injected with reserpine and then given low-frequency electric stimulation. The serum levels of norepinephrine (NE), endothelin (ET), thromboxane B 2 (TXB 2) and testosterone (T) were detected by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS：In electric stimulation group, the serum levels of NE, ET, TXB 2 and T were significantly increased as compared with control group. After low-frequency electric stimulation, the serum level of T at 24 h was higher than those at 1 h, 72 h and 7 d by 12.49%, 7.27% and 15.79%, respectively. Reserpine treatment significantly reduced the T level as compared with control group, and the T level at 24 h, 72 h and 7 d after treated with reserpine was lower than that at 1st h by 5.42%, 11.80% and 5.42%, respectively. The levels of TXB 2 in electric stimulation group and reserpine group were significantly higher than that in control group, and no difference in electric stimulation groups or in reserpine groups between 1 h, 24 h, 72 h and 7 d after electric stimulation was observed. The level of ET in electric stimulation group at 24 h after electric stimulation was higher than those at 1 h, 72 h and 7 d by 9.12%, 11.41% and 10.85%, respectively. The level of ET in reserpine group was significantly higher than that in control group. However, no difference of the ET level in reserpine groups between 1 h, 24 h, 72 h and 7 d was observed. The level of NE after electric stimulation at 1 h was higher than those at 24 h, 72 h and 7 d by 10.65%, 5.83% and 19.29%, respectively. The levels of NE in reserpine groups at 24 h, 72 h and 7 d after electric stimulation were lower than that at 1st h by 32.85%, 43.38% and 32.85%, respectively. Compared with control group, the level of NE in reserpine group was significantly decreased. CONCLUSION：Low-frequency electric stimulation promotes the releases of NE, ET, TXB 2 and T in Chinese tree shrews. Reserpine attenuates the stress effect of low-frequency electric stimulation on the animals. |
