Changes in the myocardial and liver tissues of exercise-induced fatigue rats after acupuncturing different acupoints

Ma Hai-feng; Wu Ying; Yang Rui

doi:10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2015.27.004

Abstract：BACKGROUND:According to the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, stimulating certain acupoints of the body after exercise may improve its antioxidant capacity, but different acupoints have different effects. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effect of different acupuncture combinations on the antioxidant capacity of myocardial and liver tissues in rats after exhausted swimming exercise, and screen out the optimal acupoint combination for exercise-induced fatigue. METHODS:Seventy Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into five groups: control group (n=10), model group (n=15),Sanyinjiao +Zusanli group (n=15),Shenshu +Zusanli group (n=15),Dazhui+Zusanli group (n=15). Except the control group, rats in the other four groups were subject to exhausted swimming. In the three acupuncture groups, rats were given acupuncture at corresponding acupint combinations at 15 minutes after exercise. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the control group, the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the myocardial and liver tissues were significantly reduced in the model group, while the malonaldehyde content in cardiac muscle was significantly increased. Compared with the model group, the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the cardiac muscle were significantly increased inSanyinjiao +Zusanli group, the superoxide dismutase in liver tissue was significantly increased inShenshu+Zusanli group, the malonaldehyde content in the myocardial tissue was significantly decreased in Sanyinjiao +Zusanli group and Dazhui +Zusanligroup, the malonaldehyde content in the liver tissue was significantly decreased in Sanyinjiao +Zusanligroup. Different acupuncture combinations have different effects on the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, as wel as the malonaldehyde content in the myocardial and liver tissues of fatigued rats. Acupunture could increase the antioxidant ability in cardiac muscle of rats and the best combination might beDazhui+Zusanli; acupoint combinations ofShenshu +Zusanli andSanyinjiao +Zusanli are specific for liver tissue.