Study on stomach physiological functions by electroacupuncturing at zusanli points under effects of atropine and cimetidine

Abstract

To explore the effect and mechanism on the physiological functions of stomach by electroacupunctue at zusanli (STOMACH-36), the changes of the gastric electrical frequency and amplitude, and the flux of  gastric juice secretion were observed with modern apparatus, when electroacupuncture at zusanli was administered on rabbits, before and after injecting atropine and cimetidine. The experimental results  show that the gastric electrical frequency reduced (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while, the gastric electrical  amplitude increased (P < 0.05), and the flux of gastric juice secretion increased (P < 0.05) when  acupuncture at zusanli was administered in the control group (the no drug group). Compared with the  control group, the gastric electrical frequency increased (P < 0.05), while the gastric amplitude reduced (P < 0.05), and the flux of gastric juice secretion reduced (P < 0.05) when acupuncture at zusanli was applied, after treatment with atropine. Compared with the control group, the gastric electricity frequency increased (P < 0.05), while the gastric amplitude reduced (P < 0.05), and the flux of gastric juice  secretion reduced (P < 0.05) when acupuncture at zusanli was applied after treatment with cimetidine. Therefore, our study shows that when electroacupuncture at zusanli is applied, the gastric electrical frequency increased and gastric electrical amplitude reduced, while the flux of gastric juice secretion increased. Compared with the control group, the gastric electrical frequency increased and gastric electrical amplitude reduced, and the flux of gastric juice secretion reduced when electroacupuncture at zusanli was applied after treatment with atropine and cimetidine, respectively. Thus, we supposed that the mechanism of regulating gastric electrical activity and gastric juice secretion might become true by the two pathways of gastric H₂ and M-receptors.

Key words: Electroacupuncture, zusanli (ST-36), gastric electrophysiological signal, gastric juice secretion, atropine, cimetidine