OBJECTIVETo explore the protective effect of acupuncture along meridians on rats with myocardial ischemia and its effect and action mechanism on cardiomyocyte energy metabolism.

METHODSA total of 104 healthy 12-week-old SD rats were fed adaptively for 1 week and included into study with no disease symptoms observed. Of them, 24 SD rats were selected regardless of gender, and were randomly divided into a blank group and a sham operation group, 12 rats in each one. The remaining 80 SD rats were treated with ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery to establish the model of myocardial ischemia. The successful rate of model establishment was 60%, and 48 rats survived. They were randomly divided into a model group, an acupuncture along meridian group, an acupuncture along another-meridian group and a non-acupoint group, 12 rats in each one. The blank group was not treated with operation, but only bundle fixation. The sham operation group was treated with sham operation (coronary artery was not ligatured). The model group bundle fixation. The acupuncture along meridian group were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) at "Neiguan" (PC 6), the acupuncture along another-meridian group were treated with EA at "Hegu" (LI 4), and the non-acupoints group were treated at a non-acupoint which located in the hollow of the 3rd and 4th metatarsal bones of the dorsal foot of fore rate limb. Each bundle fixation or EA was given for 30 min, once a day for consecutive 5 days. The electrocardiogram was tested in all groups; the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes was detected by Tunel; the contents of ATP, ADP and AMP in myocardium were detected by high performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTSThe ST segment voltage after model establishment was higher than that before modeling (all<0.05). Compared with the model group after intervention, the ST segment was elevated in the acupuncture along meridian group, acupuncture along another-meridian group and non-acupoint group (<0.01,<0.05), but the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes was significantly reduced (all<0.01). Compared with the acupuncture along another-meridian group and non-acupoint group, the apoptosis rate of cardiomyocytes in the acupuncture along meridian group was significantly decreased (both<0.01). Compared with the model group after intervention, the content of ATP was increased in acupuncture along meridian group (<0.05); compared with the non-acupoint group, the content of ATP was increased in the acupuncture along meridian group (<0.05); compared with the model group, the contents of ADP and AMP were reduced in the acupuncture along meridian group, acupuncture along another-meridian group and non-acupoint group (all<0.05); the energy charge EC in the acupuncture along meridian group was higher than that in the model group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture along meridians can effectively relieve the damage of cardiac muscle tissue; the possible mechanism is to increase ATP and reduce ADP, AMP of cardiomyocytes, so EC level is elevated and myocardial cell apoptosis is inhibited, leading to protective effect on cardiac muscle tissue and cells.