title: Promotion of blood fluidity by inhibition of platelet adhesion using electroacupuncture stimulation.
abstract: Stress applied to rats is known to result in a quick decrease in blood fluidity. Although electrical acupuncture stimulation (ACU) attenuates stress responses, the influence of ACU on blood fluidity has not been well examined. In the present study, the effect of ACU on blood fluidity and platelet adhesion was examined using a Micro Channel Array Flow Analyzer and a laser scattering platelet aggregometer (PA-20), respectively. Male Wistar rats (7-8 weeks old) were used. ACU (1 Hz, 3-5 V), which causes slight muscle twitching, was applied to acupoints for 60 minutes/day once or on 2 consecutive days. Stimulated acupoints were as follows: ZuSanli (ST-36), Sanyinjiao (SP-6), Hegu (L-I4), Neiguan (P-6), and Shenshu (BL-23). ACU applied to ST-36, SP-6, and L-14 revealed significant increases in blood fluidity while platelet adhesion activity decreased. No significant changes were observed when ACU was applied to P-6 and BL-23. Results indicate that ACU affects blood fluidity depending on the acupoints. Blood fluidity changed with ACU within 1 day. In other words, the effect of acupuncture has an immediate effect. In addition, platelet aggregation decreased with ACU, suggesting that an increase in blood fluidity is associated with platelet aggregation ability.
authors: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan. s-ishikawa@med.showa-u.ac.jp
authors: Shintaro
authors: S
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Murai
authors: Takao
authors: T
authors: Sato
authors: Masataka
authors: M
authors: Sunagawa
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Tokita
authors: Steven K H
authors: SK
authors: Aung
authors: Kazuhito
authors: K
authors: Asano
authors: Tadashi
authors: T
authors: Hisamitsu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000818:Animals; D001790:Blood Physiological Phenomena; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D008297:Male; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological