Effect of acupuncture on hemodynamics in rats with chronic myocardial ischemia during induction of anesthesia with propofol

Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture on hemodynamics in chronic myocardial ischemia rats during induction of anesthesia. Methods Forty five Sprague-Dawley rats, weight 200-250 g, were divided into three groups according to a random number table (n=15): a normal control group (group NC), a chronic myocardial ischemia group (group HR) and an acupuncture group (group A-HR). After acupuncture intervention of myocardial ischemia modeled animals for four weeks, the rats received induction of anesthesia with 0.1% propofol at 9 mg/kg via the jugular vein. Subsequently, the mean arterial pressure (MBP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), the maximal rate of rise/decline of left ventricula pressure (±dp/dt), heart rate, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and the morphological changes of myocardial tissues were measured. Results Compared with those in group NC, LVSP, ±dp/dt and MBP remarkably declined in group HR (P<0.05), while LVEDP and heart rate significantly increased in group HR (P<0.05). Compared with group HR, group A-HR presented significantly increased LVSP, +dp/dt and MBP (P<0.05) and significantly decreased heart rate (P<0.05). Compared with group HR, group A-HR produced remarkable decreases in MDA and CK-MB (P<0.05) and marked increases in SOD (P< 0.05). Conclusions Acupuncture pretreatment of rats with myocardial ischemia can regulate and control hemodynamic stabilities during induction of anesthesia, which may be done through inhibiting lipid peroxidation to improves cardiac micro-circulation and reducing the injury of cardiac muscles. Key words: Acupuncture; Myocardial ischemia; Propofol; Anesthesia induction; Hemodynamics