The Effect of Acupuncture on Blood Pressure: The Interrelation of Sympathetic Activity and Endogenous Opioid Peptides

Sun, Feng-yen; Zhang, An-zhong

doi:10.3727/036012983816715019

Cited by 33 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…The exact involvement of the opioid pathway was not investigated in the present study. It is possible that EA may activate central opioids that inhibit the sympathetic outflow, resulting in vagal dominance (15,22).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electroacupuncture improves rectal distension-induced delay in solid gastric emptying in dogs

Yin

Chen

2011

American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comp

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Yin J, Chen JD. Electroacupuncture improves rectal distensioninduced delay in solid gastric emptying in dogs. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 301: R465-R472, 2011. First published May 18, 2011 doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00271.2010.-The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) on rectal distension (RD)-induced delay in solid gastric emptying in dogs. Gastric emptying of solids was assessed in 12 dogs chronically implanted with a duodenal cannula by collecting samples at different time points from the cannula and measuring the dried weights of the samples. Bethanechol and atropine were used to qualitatively validate the method. In separate experiments, gastric emptying of solids was measured in a number of sessions: control, RD, RD ϩ sham-EA, RD ϩ EA of 6 mA, RD ϩ EA of 3 mA, and RD ϩ EA ϩ naloxone. The method of gastric emptying by collecting and drying gastric chyme from the duodenal cannula was found to be accurate and reliable. Using the method, we found gastric emptying to be accelerated with bethanechol (70.01 Ϯ 8.10% vs. 82.61 Ϯ 4.15%, P ϭ 0.04, vs. control) and delayed with atropine (4.31 Ϯ 1.57%, P Ͻ 0.001, vs. control). RD substantially and significantly delayed gastric emptying. EA, but not sham-EA, attenuated delayed gastric emptying induced by RD (sham-EA: 48.79 Ϯ 9.47% vs. EA: 74.28 Ϯ 5.96%, P Ͻ 0.01). The effect was more potent with EA of 6 mA than EA of 3 mA and blocked by naloxone. EA is able to attenuate RD-induced delay in gastric emptying of solids, and this ameliorating effect may be mediated via the opioid pathway. EA may have a therapeutic potential for treating delayed gastric emptying attributed to lower gut distension. gastrointestinal motility; acupuncture; gastroparesis; constipation PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC, IDIOPATHIC, slow-transit constipation and constipation-dominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C) frequently complain of upper abdominal symptoms, such as bloating, upper abdominal discomfort or pain, and vomiting. These symptoms are related to the presence of reduced motor activities attributed to impaired gastric antral contractions and myoelectrical activity, and delayed gastric emptying, as well as slow small bowel transit (1,3,14,38). The abnormality of upper gastrointestinal motility may be related to fecal stasis in the rectum or colon, causing reflexive inhibition (5,11,20,54). Rectal (balloon) distension (RD) mimicking fecal or gas stasis in the colorectal region is one of constipation models commonly used in the study of upper gastrointestinal motor activity. A number of studies have reported that RD impairs gastric myoelectrical activities, gastric tone, and gastric accommodation; reduces antral contractions; delays gastric emptying, and inhibits small-intestine motility in dogs and humans (1,2,7,11,21,39,54).Clinically, there are overlapping symptoms between functional dyspepsia and IBS-C (12, 44). Currently, there is a lack of effective medications for treating both upper and lower gastrointestinal symptoms. Acupuncture i...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electroacupuncture improves rectal distension-induced delay in solid gastric emptying in dogs

Yin

Chen

2011

American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comp

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“…There has been a recent renewal of interest in the inhibitory effects of electroacupuncture of the Zusanli acupoint on the cardiovascular system, including reductions in arterial pressure (AP), heart rate, (3,15,16), and sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) (25,42). Such inhibitory effects are observed during lowfrequency (Ͻ20 Hz) electroacupuncture.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…arterial pressure; equilibrium diagram ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY clinical case reports (21,30,32,39,40,42), the effects of electroacupuncture on cardiovascular regulation remain to be systematically investigated. There has been a recent renewal of interest in the inhibitory effects of electroacupuncture of the Zusanli acupoint on the cardiovascular system, including reductions in arterial pressure (AP), heart rate, (3,15,16), and sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) (25,42). Such inhibitory effects are observed during lowfrequency (Ͻ20 Hz) electroacupuncture.…”

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confidence: 99%

Short-term electroacupuncture at Zusanli resets the arterial baroreflex neural arc toward lower sympathetic nerve activity

Michikami¹,

Kamiya²,

Kawada³

et al. 2006

American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology

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Although electroacupuncture reduces sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and arterial pressure (AP), the effects of electroacupuncture on the arterial baroreflex remain to be systematically analyzed. We investigated the effects of electroacupuncture of Zusanli on the arterial baroreflex using an equilibrium diagram comprised of neural and peripheral arcs. In anesthetized, vagotomized, and aortic-denervated rabbits, we isolated carotid sinuses and changed intra-carotid sinus pressure (CSP) from 40 to 160 mmHg in increments of 20 mmHg/min while recording cardiac SNA and AP. Electroacupuncture of Zusanli was applied with a pulse duration of 5 ms and a frequency of 1 Hz. An electric current 10 times the minimal threshold current required for visible muscle twitches was used and was determined to be 4.8 Ϯ 0.3 mA. Electroacupuncture for 8 min decreased SNA and AP (n ϭ 6). It shifted the neural arc (i.e., CSP-SNA relationship) to lower SNA but did not affect the peripheral arc (i.e., SNA-AP relationship) (n ϭ 8). SNA and AP at the closed-loop operating point, determined by the intersection of the neural and peripheral arcs, decreased from 100 Ϯ 4 to 80 Ϯ 9 arbitrary units and from 108 Ϯ 9 to 99 Ϯ 8 mmHg (each P Ͻ 0.005), respectively. Peroneal denervation eliminated the shift of neural arc by electroacupuncture (n ϭ 6). Decreasing the pulse duration to Ͻ2.5 ms eliminated the effects of SNA and AP reduction. In conclusion, short-term electroacupuncture resets the neural arc to lower SNA, which moves the operating point toward lower AP and SNA under baroreflex closed-loop conditions. arterial pressure; equilibrium diagram ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY clinical case reports (21,30,32,39,40,42), the effects of electroacupuncture on cardiovascular regulation remain to be systematically investigated. There has been a recent renewal of interest in the inhibitory effects of electroacupuncture of the Zusanli acupoint on the cardiovascular system, including reductions in arterial pressure (AP), heart rate, (3,15,16), and sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) (25,42). Such inhibitory effects are observed during lowfrequency (Ͻ20 Hz) electroacupuncture. Because the arterial baroreflex is one of the most important control systems that stabilize AP, we quantified the effects of electroacupuncture on the arterial baroreflex over an entire operating range. Systematic analysis would help to assess the possible utility of electroacupuncture as a treatment modality for certain cardiovascular diseases with vagolytic and sympathotonic states (26,38).One of the best ways to quantitatively analyze changes in the arterial baroreflex over an entire operating range may be analysis using a baroreflex equilibrium diagram (10, 23, 31) (see APPENDIX for details). Briefly, the baroreflex equilibrium diagram consists of a neural arc representing SNA as a function of baroreceptor input pressure and a peripheral arc representing AP as a function of SNA. The intersection of the two arcs corresponds to an operating point of the AP regulation under baroreflex closed-loo...

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“…It remains unclear whether EA at ST-36 itself affects MAP (43). We have recently shown that EA at ST-36 has no effects on MAP in healthy humans (44).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Electroacupuncture Reduces Rectal Distension-Induced Blood Pressure Changes in Conscious Dogs

et al. 2005

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It has been shown that acupuncture relieves symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, the mechanism of beneficial effects of acupuncture still remains unproven. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms of the antinociceptive effects of acupuncture in conscious dogs. We evaluated the increase in mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) caused by rectal distension as an index of visceral pain. Electroacupuncture (EA; 10 Hz) at ST-36 (lower leg), but not at BL-21 (back), significantly reduced the increase in MAP in response to rectal distension (30 and 40 cm3). The antinociceptive effect of EA at ST-36 was abolished by pretreatment with naloxone (a central and peripheral opioid receptor antagonist) but not by naloxone methiodide (a peripheral opioid receptor antagonist). These results suggest that EA at ST-36 may reduce visceral pain via central opioid pathway. Acupuncture may be useful to treat visceral hypersensitivity in IBS patients.

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The Effect of Acupuncture on Blood Pressure: The Interrelation of Sympathetic Activity and Endogenous Opioid Peptides

Cited by 33 publications

References 0 publications

Electroacupuncture improves rectal distension-induced delay in solid gastric emptying in dogs

Electroacupuncture improves rectal distension-induced delay in solid gastric emptying in dogs

Short-term electroacupuncture at Zusanli resets the arterial baroreflex neural arc toward lower sympathetic nerve activity

Electroacupuncture Reduces Rectal Distension-Induced Blood Pressure Changes in Conscious Dogs

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