title: Observation on effects of aconitine via acupoint injection in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the ability of the pericardium meridian (PM) to mitigate or enhance the cardiotoxic effects of aconitine injected at specific acupoint and non-acupoint sites in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study consisted of 3 experiments that were designed to test the effects of injection of 30 μg/kg of aconitine at acupoints on the PM (Test 1), at non-acupoint sites on the PM (Test 2), and at acupoints on other meridians and non-meridian sites (Test 3). In Test 1, 24 rabbits were randomly assigned to receive injections at Quze (PC3), Tianquan (PC2), or intramuscularly. In Test 2, 24 rabbits were randomly assigned to receive injections of aconitine at non-acupoint I, non-acupoint II, or intramuscularly. In Test 3, 48 rabbits were randomly assigned to receive injections at Neiguan (PC6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Yangjiao (GB35), a non-meridian and non-acupoint site (NMNA), intravenously, and intramuscularly. Electrocardiographs of the rabbits were performed before, during and after injection to determine the incidence of arrhythmia, latency of ventricular rhythm, and recovery rate after aconitine injection. The recovery time index and extent of arrhythmia scores were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all groups the incidence of arrhythmia was 100%, and the latency of ventricular rhythm was less than 30 min. In Tests 1 and 2, the recovery rates of the Quze and non-acupoint II groups were significantly higher than those of the muscular group (P < 0.05). In Test 3, the recovery time index and extent of arrhythmia scores of the Neiguan group were low. There were no significant differences between the other acupoint groups, or the NMNA group, when compared with the group receiving aconitine intramuscularly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupoints or non-acupoints along the PM could reduce the severity of the arrhythmia induced by aconitine in healthy rabbits. Meridians play an important role in protecting body functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Fujian Health College, Fuzhou, 350101, China. nf5910@163.com
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Jing-Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Chun-Quan
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Hong-Zhi
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Guang-Wen
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000157:Aconitine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D008297:Male; D016740:Meridians; D010496:Pericardium / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000157:Aconitine