ABSTRACT
Specificity of acupoints is one of the basic theories of the acupuncture and moxibustion sciences and is a very important basis to guide the clinical treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion. However, the scientific foundation of specificity of acupoints is still unclear, which has greatly restricted to the clinical effect improvement of acupuncture and moxibustion and has influenced to academic status of acupuncture and moxibustion sciences both in China and abroad. In this paper, the recent related researches are reviewed and then the key effects and mechanism that the tissue structure of acupoints can decide and affect specificity of acupoints-organs effects are analyzed and explored. It is held that acupuncture at the different tissue structure of the different depth in the different or the same acupoints will cause changes of varying qualities or degrees of visceral function because of stimulation of the different receptors in the different tissues followed by excitation of varying afferent nerve fibers.
Subject(s)
Animals , Humans , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe anti-arrhythmic effect of acupuncture pretreatment in the rat of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion (MIR) and to explore the role of cAMP and Gsa protein in beta-adrenergic receptor signaling.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MIR was produced by ligation and reperfusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery in the rat. Arrhythmic score, content of cAMP and Gsalpha protein in ischemic myocardium were compared among the normal control (NC), ischemia and reperfusion (IR), electroacupuncture (EA) and EA plus propranolol (EAP) groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The arrhythmic score in the IR group at 10 min after reperfusion was higher than the NC group (P < 0.01); in the EA group the score was decreased (P < 0.01 vs the IR group); the score in the EAP group was similar to the IR group, much higher than the EA group (P < 0.01). The similar results for the contents of cAMP and Gsalpha protein were found in the ischemic myocardium. It is suggested that EA pretreatment significantly attenuates the arrhythmic incidence rate and the enhancement of the contents of myocardial cAMP and Gsalpha protein induced by MIR, and the attenuating effect is significantly inhibited by the intraperitoneal pretreatment of propranolol, a specific beta-adrenoceptor antagonist.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Pretreatment of EA can produce anti-arrhythmic effect in the rat of MIR, which is mediated by the post-receptor signaling pathway of beta-adrenergic receptor.</p>