[The regulating effect of electroacupuncture on gastroenteric electric activity in guinea pigs of peripheral...

Acute experiments were performed on 20 guinea pigs. The animals were divided at random into four groups of five each: the non-acupuncture group for control and three electroacupuncture groups (EA-I, EA-II, EA-III). Four pairs of platinum-wire electrodes were implanted under serosa of the antrum and corpus, duodenum, jejunum. The gastroenteric electric activity (GEA) was recorded in conscious and fasting state. Needling was applied at position 1 cm below the knee, corresponding to Zusanli. The peripheral vomiting model was established by infusion of CuSO4 into the stomach. Observation was made with regard to latency of vomiting induced by infusion of CuSO4, duration of the symptom, number of fits in the first five minutes after the attack began, and the variation of amplitude and frequency of GEA. The results were as follows: (1) The GEA of normal guinea pigs showed regular cyclic changes. After latency of 3.7 seconds following the infusion, symptom of vomiting began appear. The GEA returned to normal after latency of 60 minutes. (2) During vomiting, the GEA was characterized by a series of spikes which were seen more obviously in the antrum and corpus; during serious fits of vomiting, duodenum and jejunum were involved. The GEA showed disordered and quicker rhythm with higher amplitude and frequency. (3) EA could not affect the latency of the peripheral vomiting, but it could shorten the duration of the symptom. Results of group EA-II (p less than 0.001) showed EA could reduce the number of fits during the first five minutes; results of group EA-I (p less than 0.01) showed that EA could lower the amplitude and frequency of the GEA (p less than 0.05) that rose during vomiting.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)