[Relatively specific effect of electroacupuncture of different acupoints on hypothalamic monoamine neurotransmitters in myocardial ischemia rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Shenmen" (HT 7), "Neiguan" (PC 6), etc. on monoamine neurotransmitter contents of hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) region in myocardial ischemia (MI) rats, so as to analyze the substantial basis of efficacy specificity of acupoints in improving MI. METHODS: SD rats were randomized into normal control, model, EA-Shenmen (HT7), EA-Neiguan (PC 6) and EA-Taiyuan (LU 9) groups (n = 10/group). MI model was duplicated by occlusion of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery. EA (2 Hz, 1. 1 mA) was applied to left "Shenmen" (HT 7), "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Taiyuan" (LU 9) for 10 min, once daily for 3 days. The hypothalamic PVN region tissue was collected for assaying the contents of norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In comparison with the normal control group, the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in hypothalamic PVN in the model group were decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the contents of NE, DA and 5-HT in hypothalamic PVN in the EA-Neiguan (PC 6) and EA-Shenmen (HT 7) groups, and that of NE in the EA-Taiyuan (LU 9) group were increased significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The effects of EA-Neiguan (PC 6) and EA-Shenmen (HT 7) were significantly superior to that of EA-Taiyuan (LU 9) in increasing the contents of hypothalamic NE, DA and 5-HT (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture of PC 6 and HT 7 can suppress MI-induced decrease of NE, DA and 5-HT contents in the hypothalamic PVN region in rats, which may contribute to its effect in resisting myocardial ischemia. The effects of EA-PC 6 and EA-HT 7 are superior to those of EA-LU 9.