Title:Study on the Specific Expression of Infrared Radiation Temperature on
the Body Surface of Acupoint in Rats with Chronic Myocardial Ischemic
Injury
Volume: 19
Author(s): Jian Xiong, Xiang Li, Hongjuan Fu, Xinye Luo, Xiao Li, Yanrong Ren, Xueying Liu, Qianhua Zheng, Wenchuan Qi*Fanrong Liang*
Affiliation:
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, P.R. China
- Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610075, P.R. China
Keywords:
Acupoints, chronic myocardial ischemia, infrared thermal imaging, acupuncture, neiguan (PC6), acupoint sensitization.
Abstract:
Background: Infrared thermal imaging technology was used to observe the changes in infrared
radiation temperature at acupoints in rats caused by chronic myocardial ischemia injury.
Objective: This study aims to compare the difference of body surface infrared radiation temperature
information of three groups of acupoints: bilateral Neiguan (PC6), bilateral Yanglingquan (GB33), and
bilateral Sham Acupoints (SA) in the pathological state of myocardial ischemia injury, and to explore
the relationship between acupoints and viscera state.
Methods: SPF adult Wistar male rats (n = 20) were randomly divided into a control (CTL; n = 10) and
an isoproterenol group (ISO; n = 10). Chronic myocardial injury was induced in rats by subcutaneous
injection of isoproterenol hydrochloride for 14 d. On the second day after the establishment of the
model, the serum levels of cardiac troponin (cTnI) and creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) were
measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The morphological changes of the myocardial
tissue in the two groups were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and their pathological
scores were evaluated, which was then used to determine the myocardial ischemic injury. Two days
before and after the establishment of the model, the electrocardiograms (ECG) of the two groups of
rats were recorded by the (ECG) data acquisition system, and the infrared thermal imaging platform
was used to detect the temperature of the six acupoints.
Results: 1. After subcutaneous injection of isoproterenol hydrochloride for 14 days, the ST segment of
the ECG decreased in the ISO group compared with that of the CTL group; 2. Myocardial tissue injury
was serious in the ISO group compared to the CTL group; 3. Serum cTn-I and CK-MB were significantly
increased (P <0 01) in the ISO group, compared to that in the CTL group; 4. The infrared radiation
temperature on the body surface of bilateral Neiguan (PC6) acupoints decreased significantly in
the ISO group, compared to that of the CTL group.
Conclusion: Infrared thermal imaging technology can be used to detect the changes in the energy state
of acupoints. Chronic myocardial ischemic injury can cause a decrease in IR temperature on the body
surface of bilateral Neiguan (PC6) acupoints, suggesting that visceral diseases can lead to changes in
the energy metabolism of acupoints.
