Effects of Electroacupuncture on Plasma and Gastric Mucosal Levels of ET in Dogs

Objective: To investigate the regulation action of electroacupuncture(EA)on gastric mucosal blood flow (GMBF) and its relation to the contents of plasma and gastric mucosal ET in dogs. Methods: Twenty mongrel dogs (body weight 15～20 kg) anesthetized with pentobarbital (1 mg/kg) were randomly and equally divided into control group,non-acupoint group,Shangjuxu group and Zusanli group. Shangjuxu(ST 37), Zusanli(ST 36) and non-acupoint (the midpoint between the small head of the fibula and the external malleolus, 1 cm to the lateral side of the fibula) were punctured and stimulated with an EA therapeutic apparatus (50 Hz, intermittent waves, 20 V) for 30 min. GMBF (gastric body) was measured by using a laser doppler flowmeter(LDF),and plasma ET contents were detected with radioimmunoassay method. Results: In Zusanli group,30 min after EA stimulation and cease of EA, GMBF increased significantly (P0.05, 0.01); while no significant changes were found after EA in Shangjuxu, non-acupoint and control groups. Simultaneously, 30 min after cease of EA, marked decrease was observed in plasma ET content (P0.01) and gastric mucosa ET content (P0.01) in both Zusnanli and Shangjuxu groups, whereas no significant changes were observed in control and non-acupoint groups in plasma and gastric mucosal tissue. Conclusion: EA at Zusanli (ST 36) can evidently make GMBF increase, suggesting a protective effect of EA on gastric mucous. This effect is probably related to EA-induced changes of plasma and gastric mucosa brain-gut peptide and the effect of EA of different meridian acupoints is of a certain specificity.