Presentation Title
Aspirin and Its Significant Role in Decreasing Severe Hypertension When Combined with Repetitive Electroacupuncture at ST 36-37
Faculty Mentor
Stephanie Tjen-A-Looi
Start Date
23-11-2019 1:00 PM
End Date
23-11-2019 1:15 PM
Location
Markstein 306
Session
oral 3
Type of Presentation
Oral Talk
Subject Area
health_nutrition_clinical_science
Abstract
Electroacupuncture (EA) has successfully lowered blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive animal models but mechanisms underlying its action are still under investigation. In past studies, EA at ST 36-37 led to a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in mild to moderate hypertensive rats due to a decrease in sympathetic activity via the increase of δ-opioid receptors bound to enkephalins in the rVLM of the brain. However, EA alone did not decrease SBP in severely hypertensive rats. Furthermore, scientists agree that increases in peripheral inflammatory substances, neural inflammation, and sympathetic activity participate in increases in blood pressure. We studied the effect of combined daily EA treatment at acupoints ST 36-37 and daily aspirin injections, an anti-inflammatory drug, in the spontaneous hypertensive rat model (SHR) and the salt-induced hypertensive model (SS). EA (0.1 – 0.4 mA, 2 Hz) was applied at ST 36-37 acupoints overlying the deep peroneal nerve for 30 minutes daily plus daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of aspirin. The controls included sham EA (no electrical stimulation) combined with ip injection of aspirin, EA combined with saline injections, sham EA combined with saline injections, normotensive rats, and hypertensive rats. EA and aspirin injections group showed a significant decrease in SBP in the SS and SHR models. However, groups that received EA with saline injections, sham EA with aspirin injections, or sham EA with saline injections showed no significant decrease in SBP in the SS and SHR models. The sham EA with aspirin group showed no significant decrease in SBP but showed greater prevention of the continual increase in blood pressure compared to EA plus saline treatment. Groups treated with EA at ST 36-37 and aspirin injections showed a significant decrease in SBP suggested to be due to the overall decrease in sympathetic outflow and decrease in inflammatory substances.
Aspirin and Its Significant Role in Decreasing Severe Hypertension When Combined with Repetitive Electroacupuncture at ST 36-37
Markstein 306
Electroacupuncture (EA) has successfully lowered blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive animal models but mechanisms underlying its action are still under investigation. In past studies, EA at ST 36-37 led to a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in mild to moderate hypertensive rats due to a decrease in sympathetic activity via the increase of δ-opioid receptors bound to enkephalins in the rVLM of the brain. However, EA alone did not decrease SBP in severely hypertensive rats. Furthermore, scientists agree that increases in peripheral inflammatory substances, neural inflammation, and sympathetic activity participate in increases in blood pressure. We studied the effect of combined daily EA treatment at acupoints ST 36-37 and daily aspirin injections, an anti-inflammatory drug, in the spontaneous hypertensive rat model (SHR) and the salt-induced hypertensive model (SS). EA (0.1 – 0.4 mA, 2 Hz) was applied at ST 36-37 acupoints overlying the deep peroneal nerve for 30 minutes daily plus daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of aspirin. The controls included sham EA (no electrical stimulation) combined with ip injection of aspirin, EA combined with saline injections, sham EA combined with saline injections, normotensive rats, and hypertensive rats. EA and aspirin injections group showed a significant decrease in SBP in the SS and SHR models. However, groups that received EA with saline injections, sham EA with aspirin injections, or sham EA with saline injections showed no significant decrease in SBP in the SS and SHR models. The sham EA with aspirin group showed no significant decrease in SBP but showed greater prevention of the continual increase in blood pressure compared to EA plus saline treatment. Groups treated with EA at ST 36-37 and aspirin injections showed a significant decrease in SBP suggested to be due to the overall decrease in sympathetic outflow and decrease in inflammatory substances.