ACUPUNCTURE & ELECTRO-THERAPEUTICS RESEARCH The International Journal

ABSTRACTS Volume 29, Numbers 1/2

Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Res., Int. J., Vol. 29, pp. 1-42, 2004 0360-1293/04 $20.00 + .00

Copyright © 2004 Cognizant Communication Corp. Printed in the USA

Chung-Gwo Chang, M.D., Professor of Acupuncture1, 2

1 Department of Acupuncture, China Medical University Hospital 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan, R.O.C.

2 School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University 91 Hseuh-Shin Road, Taichung402, Taiwan, R.O.C

3 Institute of Chinese Medical Science, China Medical University 91 Hseuh-Shin Road, Taichung402, Taiwan, R.O.C

4 Institute of Biochemistry, Chung-Shen Medical University 110 Section 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd., Taichung402, Taiwan, R.O.C

5 Meridian Medical Centre 1606 High Street, Glen Iris, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3146

6 Department of Medicine and Division of Cardiology 110 Section 1, Chien Kuo N. Rd., Taichung402, Taiwan, R.O.C.

7 Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung-Hsing University 250 Kuo Kwang Road, Taichung402, Taiwan, R.O.C.

If acupuncture is able to prevent hypertrophy of the heart, it could therefore prevent the heart from overloading and thus prevent heart failure or sudden death. We therefore studied the effects of acupuncture on blood pressure and cardiac muscle cells. Rats with spontaneous hypertension were divided into three acupuncture treatment groups and one non-treatment group.

The treatment groups were classified as sham acupoint, Yanglingquan (GB. 34) and Quchi (LI. 11) groups. The measurements recorded included changes in tail pressure, femoral arterial pressure, left ventricular weight (LVW), whole heart weight (WHW), body weight (BW), LVW/BW and WHW/BW ratios and the size of the cardiac muscle cells. The results showed that femoral arterial pressure of subjects which were needled on the selected points for 3 days dropped.

Acupuncture at these two acupoints seemed to improve the condition of hypertension in a short period of time. Significant changes in the femoral arterial pressure were observed in all subjects when they were treated for 6 days. In the two acupoint groups, the LVW/BW and the WHW/BW ratios did not change significantly.

Cardiac muscle cells reduced in size in the Yanglingquan (GB. 34) treatment groups. This indicates that the Yanglingquan (GB. 34) points not only can lower blood pressure, but also prevent hypertrophy of cardiac muscle cells in spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR).

Therefore, acupuncture could be a good treatment modality for hypertension and hypertrophy of the heart.

Key Words: Acupuncture; Yanglingquan (GB. 34); Quchi (LI. 11); Hypertension; Cardiac Muscle Cell Hypertrophy