OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy differences in early intervention of different acupuncture and moxibustion methods on gastrocnemius fatigue in rats induced by electrical stimulation.

METHODSFifty male SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a hand acupuncture group, an electroacupuncture group and a moxibustion group, 10 rats in each group. Electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve was given in the control group and gastrocnemius fatigue test was induced by electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve in the model group after anesthesia without other treatment, but just take 6 times interval stimulation in the control group. The hand acupuncture group, the electroacupuncture group and the moxibustion group were treated with the corresponding acupoints stimulation method respectively for 20 min before gastrocnemius fatigue test, and Dazhui (GV 14) and Zusanli (ST 36) were selected. Immediately after gastrocnemius fatigue test, three or four gastrocnemius tissues at the same site on the right side were quickly taken for making specimen for transmission electron microscope (TEM). The changes of skeletal muscle ultrastructure of myofibrils, mitochondria, sarcoplasmic reticulum, glycogen particles were observed under TEM.

RESULTS(1) Muscle fibers disorder, partial mitochondrial vacuolization and glycogen particles smaller were shown in the model group. (2) No abnormalities were shown in the hand acupuncture group and the moxibustion group with mitochondrial morphology and number, which better than that in the model group, and glycogen particles increased. (3) Abnormal changes in morphology were shown in the electroacupuncture group with part of the muscle fibers derangement, Z line malalignment and a few mitochondria vacuolization.

CONCLUSIONHand acupuncture, electroacupuncture and moxibustion have the different effects on ultrastructure of gastrocoemius in rats. Acupuncture and moxibustion have shown good effects on the prevention and treatment of exercise-induced skeletal muscle cell and organelle damage and delaying exercise-induced fatigue.