Abstract
Abstract
Background: S
tudies have shown that acupuncture of Neiguan (PC 6) and Shenmen (HT 7) improve cardiac function in patients with congestive heart failure. Pathological remodeling of the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction (MI) is one basis for the development of heart failure. Angiotensin II and norepinephrine (NE) have direct and indirect effects on the myocardium, leading to pathological remodeling after primary injury. Hyperlipidemia is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease and has been shown to increase sympathetic remodeling of the myocardium after acute MI.
Objective:
The aim of this research was to measure the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) applied to PC 6 and HT 7 on NE levels in the serum and paraventricular nuclei of hyperlipidemic rats with surgically induced acute MI.
Design, Setting, and Model:
Hyperlipidemic Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of four groups: a sham control group; a model control group; a model group treated with EA to PC 6; and a model group treated with EA to HT 7. Measurement of NE levels for serum and the paraventricular nucleus was performed for each group.
Setting:
This study was conducted in a university setting.
Model:
Sham controls consisted of animals that had undergone thoracotomy without any other intervention. Models consisted of animals that had undergone thoracotomy and ligation of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery.
Intervention:
EA was performed in two groups of hyperlipidemia/acute myocardial infarction models at PC 6 and HT 7, respectively. Treatments took place daily for 5 days with 20 minutes of needle retention.
Main Outcome Measure:
NE levels were measured in the paraventricular nuclei and in the serum of rats in the PC 6 and HT 7 groups and compared with values obtained for a sham control group and a model control group.
Results:
Compared with the sham control group rats, the model control group rats had significantly lower NE levels in their paraventricular nuclei and significantly higher levels in their serum. Compared with the model control group, the rats in the groups treated with EA at PC 6 and treated with EA at HT 7 had significantly higher NE levels in their paraventricular nuclei and significantly lower levels in their serum. This effect was slightly greater in the HT 7 group.
Conclusions:
EA at PC 6 or HT 7 in hyperlipidemic rats with surgically induced acute MI results in normalization of sympathetic activity, compared with a model control group.
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