Effect of Acupuncture by Needle Manipulation at SP3-HT7 on the Blood Pressure in Rats with Hypertensive Induced by Two Kidney One Clip

In this issue of the journal, recommended articles are selected from the Korean Journal of Acupuncture (ISSN: 1229-7933) and from the Journal of Pharmacopuncture (ISSN: 1226-4849), which were published in the Korean language.

(1) Korean Journal of Acupuncture, Vol 28, No. 2, pp. 1–11, 2011

Effect of Acupuncture by Needle Manipulation at SP3-HT7 on the Blood Pressure in Rats with Hypertensive Induced by Two Kidney One Clip

Dae-Hwan Youn, Jeong-Hee Han, Suhn-Hee Kim

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acupuncture by needle manipulation at acupoints, SP3-HT7, on the blood pressure, plasma rennin, and plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) for cardiac hypertrophy induced in hypertensive rats by using two kidney one clip (2K1C).

Methods: The experiments were performed on twenty-five Sprague Dawley rats. The 2K1C hypertension model was prepared by constricting the left renal artery with a sliver clip. Animals were divided into five groups: control, AC-1a and AC-2a (acupuncture at SP3-HT7 Bilaterally with the needle being twirled and rotated forward with the thumb and the forefinger of the right hand 6 times), AC-3a (acupuncture at SP3-HT7 bilaterally with the needle inserted in a direction (body direction) opposite the channel), and AC-4a (acupuncture at SP3-HT7 bilaterally with the needle inserted in a direction (body direction) opposite the channel and being twirled and rotated forward with the forefinger of the right hand 6 times). The treatments in the rats were started 4 weeks after inducing 2K1C and were performed two times a week for 3 weeks.

Results: The blood pressure was significantly decreased by 4 times in Acu-1a, and cardiac hypertrophy was significantly decreased in the Acu-2a and the Acu-3a groups. The activity of plasma renin was decreased in all groups but the control and Acu-1a groups, and that of plasma ANP was decreased in Acu-2a and Acu-3a compared to the control group.

Conclusion: These results suggest that acupuncture on SP3-HT7 mostly causes significant changes in controlling renal hypertension induced by 2K1C in rats.

Key Words: 2K1C; hypertension; acupuncture; SP3; HT7