Objective: To observe the inhibitory effects of acupuncture pretreatment on arrhythmia and intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) oscillation in single cardiocyte in rats subjected to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MIR).
Methods: Male SD rats were evenly randomized into normal control (NC), MIR and electroacupuncture (EA) groups. MIR was performed by ligation (30 min) and reperfusion (10 min) of the left anterior descending coronary artery in vivo in rats or in the isolated and perfused rat heart subjected to a 40 min global ischemia followed by a 10 min reperfusion. EA pretreatment was applied to bilateral "Neiguan" (PC 6) for 30 min once a day in 3 consecutive days. Arrhythmic score was calculated according to Curtis's and Walker's method, and the count of [Ca2+]i oscillation was measured by using InCytPm 2 intracellular ion detecting system.
Results: Both the arrhythmic score and the count of [Ca2+]i oscillation in MIR group were considerably higher than those in NC group (P<0.05). While compared with MIR group, the arrhythmia score and the count of [Ca2+]i oscillation in EA group were decreased significantly (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Pretreatment of EA can effectively resist MIR-induced arrhythmia and intracellular calcium oscillation in the rat.