EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE/ELECTROACUPUNCTURE ON GASTRIC PRESSURE AND CONTRACTION OF DOGS MEASURED BY ALTERNATE CURRENT SUSCEPTOMETRY AND MANOMETRY.

Abstract

The effect of acupuncture, false acupuncture and low frequency electroacupuncture on gastric contraction amplitude and pressure was investigated in dogs. A cuffed gastric tube was inserted in 17 dogs anesthetized with pentobarbitone and a magnetic tracer (manganese ferrite) was administered into the cuff. Gastric contraction was measured using a biosusceptometer positioned at the epigastric region, based on the magnetic flux transformer with differential coil using a sample frequency of 10 Hz. The magnetic signal was detected by a lock-in amplifier, using a Butterworth bi-direction 2 pole pass-band filter (30 to 70 mHz) in the digital signals. The FFT (Fast Fourier Transformer) and running spectrum analysis (RSA) were used to evaluate the amplitude of the signal before and after acupuncture. Gastric pressure was measured attaching the cuffed inflated tube in the stomach to a pressure monitor. The dogs were treated with false manual acupuncture, followed by real manual acupuncture and low frequency electroacupuncture (5 Hz, 5 V, and alternate current stimulation) at the ST 36 and LI 4 acupoints. Gastric contraction amplitude and pressure raised in an increasing way after false manual acupuncture, followed by real manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture was the only protocol to produce a statistically significant increase in these variables when compared to both false and real manual acupuncture, showing that electroacupuncture was the most effective to increase both gastric contraction amplitude and pressure.

KEY-WORDS: Traditional Chinese medicine. Canine. Peristaltism.