Rats were housed individually and given ad libitum access to a commercially available liquid diet (Dyets, Bethlehem, PA, USA), known as the Lieber-DeCarli diet. Rats in the chronic ethanol group (ethanol group) were exposed to 1 to 7% ethanol by gradually increasing ethanol concentration over the 7-day period and then maintained at a concentration of 7.2% for 9 days. Rats in the control group (control group) received ethanol-free isocaloric diets (or control diets) in which maltose dextrin replaced ethanol and the same amount of the standard liquid diet as their ethanol-paired rats consumed during the previous day.
Blood ethanol levels were measured 2 hours after removal of the ethanol diet on the last day of the ethanol liquid diet (16 days). To test the possibility that acupuncture might lower the blood ethanol level directly and attenuate alcohol dependence, we investigated whether acupuncture affected serum ethanol concentration in ethanol-dependent rats. Under isoflurane anesthesia, blood samples (0.5 ml) were taken by cardiac puncture 5 min after acupuncture stimulation. Serum ethanol levels were assayed using a commercially available colorimetric/fluorometric assay kit (BioVision, Milpitas, CA, USA).
Blood ethanol levels were measured 2 hours after removal of the ethanol diet on the last day of the ethanol liquid diet (16 days). To test the possibility that acupuncture might lower the blood ethanol level directly and attenuate alcohol dependence, we investigated whether acupuncture affected serum ethanol concentration in ethanol-dependent rats. Under isoflurane anesthesia, blood samples (0.5 ml) were taken by cardiac puncture 5 min after acupuncture stimulation. Serum ethanol levels were assayed using a commercially available colorimetric/fluorometric assay kit (BioVision, Milpitas, CA, USA).