BAX and spondyloarthropathy: Additionally, acupotomy was significantly superior to the electro-acupuncture in reducing the apoptotic cell number in the spondylosis rabbit model.[37] In the same model study performed three years later, the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax mRNA was significantly higher than that of electro-acupuncture.[38] It suggests that acupotomy can prevent continuous cell damage.