Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of "Neiguan" (PC 6), "Shenmen" (HT 7), "Taiyuan" (LU 9), "Zhizheng" (SI 7) and "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) on cardiac function in acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) rabbits.
Methods: A total of 60 rabbits were randomly divided into normal control, model, EA-PC6, EA-HT7, EA-LU9, EA-S17 and EA-SP6 groups. AMI model was established by intravenous administration of pituitrin. ECG, maximal ascending rate ( + dp/dt max) and maximal descending rate (- dp/dt max) of the left ventricular pressure, and left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) were recorded.
Results: The heart rate (HR), +dp/dt max, -dp/dt max and LVSP decreased significantly after AMI (P<0.01). Compared with model group, the 4 indexes of EA-PC6, EA-HT7 and EA-S17 groups increased considerably (P<0.05, 0.01) at most time-points after AMI, and the effects of EA-PC6 and EA-HT7 were markedly better than those of EA-SI7, EA-LU9 and EA-SP6 (P<0.05, 0.01). No significant differences were found among model group, EA-LU9 and EA-SP6 groups in HR, + dp/dt max, -dp/dt max and LVSP at most time-points after AMI.
Conclusion: EA of PC6, HT7 and SI7 has a good effect in improving ischemic cardiac performance, and the effect of PC6 and HT7 is markedly better than that of SI7. The effect of EA of SP6 and LU9 is poorer on ischemic cardiac function.