fig2

Figure 2. Influence of apipuncture in the mRNA expression of M1 (iNOS) and M2 (TGF-β and Arg-1) phenotype markers and COX-2 in the spinal cord 1, 3 and 5 days after SCI. The graph represents the iNOS (A), TGF-β (B), Arg-1 (C) and COX-2 (D) mRNA expression at the site of spinal cord injury in rats submitted to SCI and apipuncture at ST36 and GV3 points [BV (ST36)-SCI; n = 5], SCI and apipuncture at non-acupoints [BV (NP)-SCI, n = 5], only SCI (CTL-SCI, n = 5) and Sham-SCI (n = 5). Values are presented as mean ± SEM, ***P < 0.001 compared to CTL-SCI and BV (NP)-SCI. BV: bee venom; NP: non-acupoints; SCI: spinal cord injury