ABSTRACT
The effect of moxibustion on duodenal motility was examined. Duodenal motility was measured by the balloon method in anesthetized, artificially ventilated rats. The stimulation temperature and duration of moxibustion varied. Treatments were applied to the hind paw and abdomen.<BR>The duodenal motility exhibited an excited response by pinch stimulation of hind paw, and inhibitory response by abdominal pinch stimulation. Duodenal motility did not show any response to indirect moxibustion stimulation of the hind paw and abdomen. Duodenal motility exhibited an excited response by direct application of moxibustion to the hind paw and an inhibitory response by direct application of moxibustion to the abdomen.
ABSTRACT
The reflex mechanisms of the responses in heart rate elicited by acupuncture stimulation in anesthetized rats were examined. An acupuncture needle measuring 160μmin diameter was inserted into skin and the underlying muscles to the hindlimb to a depth of about 5mm and was twisted once every second for 1min. A decrease in the heart rate was observed in 55% of 22 trials and in 70% of 20 trials when muscles separated from the overlying skin were stimulated. The response was abolished completely by cutting the femoral and sciatic nerves. The response was not influenced by transecting of the bilateral vagi but was totally abolished by transecting of the cardiac sympathetic nerves. Therefore, we conclude that the decrease in heart rate elicited by acupuncture stimulation of a hindlimb is based on a somato-autonomic reflex, in which the afferent pathway is composed of hindlimb muscle afferents and the efferent pathway is composed of cardiac sympathetic nerves.
ABSTRACT
The effect of non-noxious and noxious stimulation of various skin areas on peristaltic movements of the ureter was examined in anesthetized rats. Experiments were performed on 17 rats anesthetized with urethane-chloralose under artificial respiration. Peristaltic movements of the ureter were continuously recorded by means of an electromyogram recording technique on a polygraph, and either pinching or brushing mechanical stimulation for one minute was delivered to a skin area such as neck, chest, abdomen, perineum or hindpaw.<br>Under the resting condition without cutaneous stimulation, regular peristaltic movements of the ureter at a frequency of 18+1/min (mean+S. E.) were observed. The frequency of these peristaltic movements was often increased significantly by noxious cutaneous stimulation to hindpaw, perineum or chest, while it was sometimes excited by the noxious stimulation to the other area, such as neck and abdomen. The non-noxious stimulation of various skin areas, however, did not influence these movements.<br>The increased frequency of the ureteral movements by pinching of hindpaw, perineum or chest after bilaterally sectioning vagal, hypogastric or pelvic nerves persisted, but were totally abolished after bilaterally sectioning splanchnic nerves.<br>It is suggested that splanchnic nerves play a substantially important role as a efferent arc in production of the reflex response of peristaltic movements of the ureter following the cutaneous noxious stimulation.