ABSTRACT
Improvement in lung function was reported after acupuncture treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Because an immune response imbalance could be seen in COPD, we hypothesize that electroacupuncture (EA) may play a role in regulating inflammatory cytokines and contribute to lung protection in a rat model of smoke-induced COPD.
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@#Objective To observe the effect of fastigial nucleus stimulation(FNS)on heart rate variability(HRV)of surgically induced myocardial infarction rats.Methods 100 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated in four groups,including sham-operation control group,rats with coronary arteries ligated but fastigial nucleus(FN)sham stimulated(AMI group),rats both coronary arteries ligated and FN stimulated(FNS group),and rats on which FN lesioned 5 d before,then coronary arteries ligated and FN stimulated(FNL group).HRV characteristics were determined 6 h,1 d,7 d and 21 d after the ligation,and mortality rates were observed after 21 d.Results FNS can improve the survival of myocardial infarction rats,and this may be due to the increased vagal tone and decreased sympathetic tone.Conclusion FNS may have cardio-protective effects on surgically induced myocardial infarction rats.
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To investigate whether changes of amino acid neurotransmitter releases in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (rVLM) were related to acupuncture and to the antihypertensive effect of melatonin (Mel) microinjected into the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) of rats with stress-induced hypertension (SIH), as well as to compare and analyze the relationship between the both antihypertensive mechanisms of acupuncture and of Mel in the AHA. Methods: Animal model of SIHR was made by electric foot shocks combined with noises. Electroacupuncture (EA) was used and Zusanli acupoint of both side was selected. The technique of drug microinjection into the brain was used to observe the change of blood pressure (BP), and synchronously, brain microdialysis was performed for collecting dialysate samples, and then the concentration of amino acid neurotransmitters in the dialysate samples was determined by high performance liquid chromatography combined with fluorescent detection (HPLC-FD). Results: After the animal received stress treatment, the BP elevated, synchronously, the release of glutamate (Glu) in the rVLM increased, and when EA was performed, the elevated BP of the rats with SIH decreased,simultaneously, the release of Glu in the rVLM decreased also. After Mel was microinjected of into the AHA of the SIHR, the elevated BP attenuated, meanwhile, the release of Glu decreased,and those of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and taurine (Tau) increased in the rVLM.Administration ofbicuculline, an antagonist of GABAA receptor, into the rVLM prior to microinjection of Mel into the AHA could partially block the depressor effect of Mel in the AHA. Conclusion: The decrease in the release of Glu in the rVLM contributes to the antihypertensive effect of both acupuncture and Mel in the AHA in the rats with SIH, and the increase in the release of GABA and Tau in the rVLM is also important to Mel in the AHA.
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Objective:To investigate the mechanism of the reversal effect of acupuncture on the fall of blood pressure induced by angiotensin-(1-7)[Ang-(1-7)] in the caudal ventrolateral medulla(CVLM) of rats. Methods: Ang-(1-7) and its selective receptor antagonist (D-Ala7), Ang-(1-7) and Ang-(779) were microinjected into the CVLM respectively to induce the change of blood pressure, during which, the concentrations of amino acid neurotransmitters were detected by means of microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)combined with fluorescent detector, on the other hand, the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on the level of blood pressure and the concentrations of amino acid neurotransmitters were also observed. Results:Unilateral microinjection of Ang-(1-7) into the CVLM could decrease the blood pressure (BP), which was accompanied by an increase in the release of Glu and a decrease in the release of Tau in the same site; Whereas microinjection of Ang-779 into the CVLM could elevate BP, which was accompanied by a decrease in the release of Glu and an increase in the release of Tau; EA at acupoint Zusanli (ST 36) for 20 min could inhibit the fall of blood pressure induced by microinjection of Ang-(1-7) into the CVLM and the elevation of blood pressure induced by microinjection of Ang-779 into the CVLM, and in the meantime, it could inhibit the changes of the release of Glu and Tau induced by microinjection of Ang-(1-7) and Ang-779 into the CVLM. Conclusion: The reversal effect of EA on the fall or elevation of blood pressure induced by microinjection of Ang-(1-7) or Ang-779 into the CVLM might be related to the changes of Glu and Tau release.
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BACKGROUND: The selective innervation of different sacral nerve roots on bladder in SD mice is still uncertain.OBJECTIVE: To study the selective innervation of sacral nerve roots to bladder in order to provide evidence for rebuilding bladder function after spinal cord injury and establishing experimental animal model of artificial bladder.DESIGN: Randomized and controlled study.SETTING: Department of orthopaedics in two universities and physiological department of a medical university.MATERIALS: The experiment was conducted in the Key Laboratory of Hand Function Reconstruction of Ministry of Public Health in Medical College of Fudan University from October 2000 to June 2002. Totally 10 male SD mice of clean class with body mass between 250 and 300 g were chosen.INTERVENTIONS: The mice were randomly divided into two groups of which one used left side as experimental side and the other used right side. Extradural electric stimulation was conducted to St -4 nerve roots of SD mice after spinal cord injury.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: To record the change of action potential of cystic nerve plexus and compound muscle action potential of bladder smooth muscle, and insert the pressure monitor into bladder to record internal pressure of bladder by pressure transducer.RESULTS: S1 -4 nerve all participate the innervation of bladder in SD mice,among them, the S2 nerve is the most important one, next with S1, S3 and S4is the minimum one.CONCLUSION: Different sacral nerve roots have different dominative effects to bladder smooth muscle. It is meaningful for patients of spinal cord injury to improve their urination function by performing artificially electric stimulation for emiction through the main nerve roots controlling of bladder or rebuilding artificial bladder reflex arc by neurorrhaphy
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AIM: To observe the dynamic changes of plasma levels of nitric oxide(NO) and endothelin (ET-1) in portal veins of the rats during prehepatic portal hypertension, and investigate the role of them in hyperdynamic circulation. METHODS: The models of prehepatic portal hypertension were established in Sprague-Dawley rats by means of partial portal vein ligation (PVL). The plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate (NO - 2/NO - 3) and ET-1 in the portal veins were detected by the method of nitric reductase and radioimmunoassay, respectively. In this study, rats were divided into normal, sham operation (SO) and PVL group. SO and PVL rats were divided into several subgroups according to different time after operations. Meanwhile, the changes of several hemodynamic indexes in these rats were also measured. RESULTS: The levels of NO - 2/NO - 3 were significantly increased and ET-1 were significantly decreased in rats at different time after PVL compared with normal control, whereas the hemodynamic indexes changed accordingly. CONCLUSION: The portal hypertensive rats are in hyperdynamic circulatory state (HCS). NO and ET-1 may play an important role in the induction and maintenance of HCS.