ABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment on the protein expression of c-fos in fastigial nucleus (FN) and lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) in rats with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), and to explore the role and mechanism of FN and LHA in EA at the Heart Meridian fighting against acute MIRI reaction. Methods: Seventy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, an EA-Heart Meridian group and an EA-Lung Meridian group, with 14 rats in each group; an LHA lesion plus EA-Heart Meridian group (LHA+EA-Heart Meridian group) and a FN lesion plus EA-Heart Meridian group (FN+EA-Heart Meridian group), with 7 rats in each group. Except the sham operation group, the left anterior descending branch of coronary artery was ligated to establish acute MIRI rat models in the other 5 groups. In the three groups with EA-Heart Meridian treatment, Shenmen (HT 7) and Tongli (HT 5) were selected; Taiyuan (LU 9) and Lieque (LU 7) were selected in the EA-Lung Meridian group. All the EA groups received EA stimulation prior to modeling, with 1 mA in current intensity and 2 Hz in frequency, 20 min each time, once a day for a total of 7 d. The sham operation group and the model group did not receive EA stimulation. The electrocardiogram was observed in the rats to analyze the ST-segment deviation and cardiac arrhythmia score. The expression of c-fos protein in FN and LHA was detected by immunohistochemistry method. Results: Compared with the sham operation group, the ST-segment deviation, cardiac arrhythmia score and the expression of c-fos protein in the FN and LHA increased significantly in the model group (all P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the ST-segment deviation, cardiac arrhythmia score and the expression of c-fos protein in FN and LHA decreased significantly in the EA-Heart Meridian group (all P<0.05). Compared with the EA-Heart Meridian group, the ST-segment deviation and cardiac arrhythmia score increased significantly in the EA-Lung Meridian group, LHA+EA-Heart Meridian group and FN+EA-Heart Meridian group (all P<0.05); the expression of c-fos in FN increased significantly in the EA-Lung Meridian group and LHA+EA-Heart Meridian group (both P<0.05); the expression of c-fos in LHA increased significantly in the EA-Lung Meridian group and FN+EA-Heart Meridian group (both P<0.05). Conclusion: FN and LHA are involved in the mechanism of EA at Heart Meridian to improve the acute MIRI reactions, and the cerebellum may participate in the improvement of cardiac function by EA through the cerebellum-hypothalamus projection.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of long-term moxa smoke exposure of different concentrations on olfactory function in rats, and provide experimental basis of safety study of moxa smoke produced by moxibustion.@*METHODS@#Forty SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, a low-concentration moxa smoke group, a moderate-concentration moxa smoke group and a high-concentration moxa smoke group, 10 rats in each one. The rats in the moxa smoke groups were put into three plexiglass moxibustion boxes with different moxa smoke concentrations, 4 hours per times, twice a day for 90 days. The general state of rats was evaluated before and during the experiment. After the intervention, the olfactory function was evaluated by two-bottle experiment (TBE); the morphology of nasal mucosa was observed by HE staining; the apoptosis of olfactory epithelial cells in nasal mucosa was detected by TUNEL method; the serum levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by ELISA method.@*RESULTS@#In the late stage of moxa smoke exposure (45-90 days into intervention), the behavioral activity of rats in the moderate-concentration moxa smoke group and the high-concentration moxa smoke group was weaker than that in the normal control group, and their response to stimulation was strong, and their mental state was worse. After intervention, the drinking rate of vinegar-water mixture in the moderate-concentration moxa smoke group and the high-concentration moxa smoke group was higher than that in the normal control group and the low-concentration moxa smoke group (@*CONCLUSION@#The long-term exposure to low, moderate and high concentrations of moxa smoke could cause pathological changes in nasal mucosa and increase the serum levels of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α; the moderate and high concentrations of moxa smoke exposure could cause a series of damage to olfactory function and reduce olfactory sensitivity in rats.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats , Interleukin-1 , Interleukin-6 , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Smoke/adverse effects , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) preconditioning at heart meridian acupoints on the contents of dopamine (DA) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in lateral hypothalamus area (LHA) and cerebellar fastigial nucleus (FN) in the rats with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI), and explore the role and mechanism of LHA and FN in the effect of EA at heart meridian acupoints against acute MIRI.@*METHODS@#Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a model group, an EA heart meridian group and an EA lung meridian group, 12 rats in each group, as well as an LHA plus heart meridian group (damage of bilateral LHA) and an FN plus heart meridian group (damage of bilateral FN), 6 rats in each one. Three days after nucleus destruction, EA was applied to "Shenmen" (HT 7) and "Tongli" (HT 5) in the EA heart meridian group, the LHA plus heart meridian group and the FN plus heart meridian group and EA was applied to "Taiyuan" (LU 9) and "Lieque" (LU 7) in the EA lung meridian group, with 1 V in stimulating voltage and 2 Hz in frequency, lasting 20 minutes each time, once a day, for consecutively 7 days before model replication. Except in the sham-operation group, MIRI rat models were duplicated by ligation of the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery in the rest groups. Using Power lab physiological recorder, ST segment displacement value was recorded before modeling, 30 min after ligation and 120 min after reperfusion separately. The high performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection and analysis system was adopted to determine the contents of DA and 5-HT in LHA and FN dialysate after rat modeling in each group.@*RESULTS@#In comparison of ST segment displacement value 30 min after ligation and 120 min after reperfusion among groups, the value in the model group was higher than that in the sham-operation group (@*CONCLUSION@#EA preconditioning at heart meridian acupoints can effectively alleviate myocardial injury in acute MIRI rats, during which, DA and 5-HT in LHA and FN may be the important material basis.