Objective To explore the possible mechanism of acupoint application therapy for allergic rhinitis.Methods Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group

model group

fluticasone propionate group and acupoint application group

with 10 rats in each group. The rat model of allergic rhinitis was established by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin

intranasal instillation

and nebulization except for the control group. After modeling

rats in the model group received 5 μl saline nasal drip per side in the nostril; the rats in the acupoint application group were removed after applying a 0. 5 cm × 0. 5 cm plaster at both acupoints of "Feishu（ BL13） "

"Pishu（ BL20） "and "Shenshu（ BL23） "for 2 h. In the fluticasone propionate group

5 μl nasal drops of fluticasone propionate nasal spray were applied to each side of the rat. Each group of rats was performed every other day for 7 times. HE staining was used to observe the morphology of the nasal mucosa and the number of eosinophils was counted. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of toll-like receptor 4（ TLR4） and nuclear factor-kappa B（ NF-κB）mRNA in the nasal mucosa. Chemical methods were used to detect the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB protein in nasal mucosa. Results HE staining showed that the nasal mucosa of the model group was significantly damaged

and a large number of eosinophils and other inflammatory cells infiltrated; the number of eosinophils

TLR4 and NF-κB mRNA and protein in the nasal mucosa were all increased compared with the normal group（ P < 0. 05）; The number of eosinophils

TLR4 and NF-κB mRNA and protein expression in the fluticasone propionate group and acupoint application group were lower than those in the model group（ P < 0. 05）

and the decrease in the acupoint application group was more significant than fluticasone propionate group（ P < 0. 05）. Conclusion Acupoint application may improve the nasal mucosal inflammatory symptoms by regulating the TLR-NF-κB pathway in rat nasal mucosa

thereby treating allergic rhinitis.