温阳活血法对慢性萎缩性胃炎患者胃经穴位电阻的影响

目的：观察中药温阳活血法对慢性萎缩性胃炎患者胃经穴位电阻的影响。方法：收集70例慢性萎缩性胃炎患者的临床资料，判定临床证型，应用体表电阻测量法测定双侧胃经厉兑、内庭、陷谷、冲阳、解溪、丰隆、足三里、梁丘诸穴电阻，之后以温阳活血为法给予中药汤剂口服，2周后再次测定患者上述穴位的电阻，并对治疗前后的数据进行统计分析。结果：脾胃虚寒型、胃阴亏虚型患者诸穴电阻呈上升趋势，肝脾失调型、胃络瘀血型患者诸穴电阻呈下降趋势，具有统计学意义（P＜0．05）。结论：用温阳活血法治疗慢性萎缩性胃炎患者，可调节胃经诸穴气血的虚实，从而促进疾病痊愈。     

足三阴经经穴体表电阻反映胞宫生理变化的规律研究

目的:通过观察正常女大学生在不同月经周期足三阴经的原穴、郄穴、交会穴、非特定穴的体表电阻变化,探寻胞宫相关经脉不同经穴体表电阻反映月经周期的特异性规律,为深入研究经穴反映脏腑功能的机制研究奠定基础,同时为临床和科研探讨正常女大学生月经周期相关经穴的生物物理特性提供参考依据。方法:招募正常女大学生90人,选取与胞宫位于邻近脊髓节段的足三阴经原穴、郄穴、交会穴、非特定穴,于月经期、卵泡期、排卵期、黄体期的相同时间点连续动态探测体表电阻30 min,观察各穴位电阻值在月经周期中的变化。结果:各穴位在月经周期中单侧穴位电阻值的变化均差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。相同时期,单侧3个原穴、3个郄穴、脾经不同穴位、腰4皮节上不同穴位间的电阻值比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。同一穴位左右电阻比较:太冲在月经期电阻值左侧大于右侧(P0.05);太白在排卵期左侧大于右侧(P0.05);中都在卵泡期、排卵期、黄体期左侧均大于右侧(P0.05);太溪、地机、三阴交在4个时期的电阻值左侧均大于右侧(P0.05);水泉在4个时期左侧均小于右侧(P0.05)。结论:足三阴经相关经穴左右两侧电阻的变化趋势可以特异性地反映出胞宫在月经周期中的气血变化情况。肝经原穴、郄穴在月经期显示出了不同于其他时期的变化趋势,脾经原穴太白在排卵期显示出了不同于其他时期的变化趋势,体现了经穴反映功能上的特异性。经穴反映脏腑功能的机制不仅与经穴和脏腑所属的脊髓节段具有相关性,与经穴所属经脉及穴位属性也具有特异性关系。     

穴位温度与电阻相关关系的研究

目的:了解动物穴区体表温度的高低与电阻的关系,探讨经穴部位高温和低电阻形成的机理。方法:用红外热像图方法和体表电阻测量法对20例家兔左、右内关穴、右心腧穴区和各穴旁开1 cm的温度和电阻进行检测。结果:右内关穴区温度为(36.41±0.64)℃,电阻为(11.35±2.43)kΩ,内关旁开为(35.19±0.72)℃,电阻为(17.05±4.94)kΩ。左内关穴区温度为(36.48±0.54)℃,电阻为(11.64±2.48)kΩ,穴位旁开温度为(35.33±0.74)℃,电阻为(17.09±5.74)kΩ。右心腧穴区温度为(36.21±0.40)℃,电阻为(17.66±3.30)kΩ,心腧旁开温度为(35.41±0.36)℃,电阻为(22.53±5.45)kΩ。各穴区与穴位旁开的温度比较均有显著性统计学差异,穴与非穴的电阻值也有显著差异。结论:穴区有高温和低电阻特性,而体表温度和电阻值之间具有高度的相关关系。     

应用磁共振成像测量直刺胆俞穴安全深度的研究

目的:利用磁共振成像(MRI)测量直刺胆俞穴的安全深度,为临床安全针刺提供参考数据.方法:将20名BMI在17.8 ～22.9范围的青年志愿者根据性别分为男性组10人、女性组10人,应用MRI技术在横轴位测量胆俞穴的针刺深度,参考安全深度≤危险深度×75％计算.结果:①男性右侧穴位危险深度是(3.44±0.44)cm,安全深度是(2.58±0.33) cm;左侧穴位危险深度是(3.35 ±0.43) cm,安全深度是(2.51±0.32)cm.②女性右侧穴位危险深度是(2.98±0.30) cm,安全深度是(2.23±0.23) cm;左侧穴位危险深度是(2.89±0.29) cm,安全深度是(2.13±0.23) cm.③男性两侧穴位危险深度比较P ＞0.05,女性两侧穴位危险深度比较P＞0.05,提示男或女左右侧胆俞穴针刺危险深度无显著差别.④男性左右两侧穴位危险深度分别与女性比较P ＜0.05,男性与女性在针刺胆俞穴的危险深度上有差别,提示胆俞穴直刺时应注意性别差异.结论:应用MRI测量直刺胆俞穴安全深度,获得的数据具有较高的可信性.     

穴位贴敷治疗脾胃虚寒型胃痛选穴用药规律分析

目的:通过对有关于穴位贴敷治疗脾胃虚寒型胃痛的现代文献进行分析,并概况其选穴规律及用药特点,为穴位贴敷治疗脾胃虚寒型胃痛提供参考及理论依据。方法:检索中国期刊全文数据库(CNKI)、维普数据库(VIP)、万方数据知识服务平台(WF)等中文数据库,并采用频次分析法,对其中关于穴位贴敷治疗脾胃虚寒型胃痛的临床文献进行分析,归纳总结出穴位贴敷治疗脾胃虚寒型胃痛的选穴及用药规律。最终纳入文献共57篇,其中涉及腧穴24种、中药54味。结果:通过统计分析发现,选穴多以中脘穴为主;所选经脉多以任脉为主,在腧穴所属类型的选择上,多为背俞穴。用药以肉桂、吴茱萸、丁香、干姜、附子等温里药为主,归经多为脾经,药性多为温,药味多为辛。结论:临床上多选用温里药来贴敷中脘穴以治疗脾胃虚寒型胃痛,且归于脾肾两经的药物较归于胃经的药物更常被使用。     

胆囊炎患者相关穴位疼痛阈值检测的临床研究

目的探讨胆囊炎患者相关穴位的疼痛阈值的差异及穴位的特异性。方法实际测量80例,正常组(正常无心理和生理疾病的志愿者)30例,病例组(患有胆囊炎疾病的志愿者)50例,将疼痛测量仪的探头垂直置于所选穴位处,推动施压点,当被测试者感觉疼痛时立即停止施压,记录所测穴位显示的痛觉阈值。分析对比正常组和病例组所选穴位疼痛阈值的差异,探讨穴位的特异性。结果病例组与正常组膀胱经相关背俞穴阈值比较,病例组与正常组足太阳膀胱经的背俞穴左侧穴位比较,膈俞、肝俞、胆俞、脾俞、胃俞、大肠俞没有显著性差异(P0.05),病例组与正常组足太阳膀胱经的背俞穴右侧穴位比较,膈俞、肝俞、胆俞、脾俞、胃俞、大肠俞疼痛阈值存在显著性差异(P0.01),病例组疼痛阈值明显低于正常组;病例组与正常组选取肝经、胆经、胃经主要穴位阈值的比较,病例组与正常组所选肝经、胆经及胃经右侧穴位梁门、日月、期门比较有显著性差异(P0.01),太冲比较没有差异(P0.05),病例组疼痛阈值明显低于正常组,病例组与正常组所选肝经、胆经及胃经左侧穴位梁门、日月、期门、太冲比较没有显著性差异(P0.05)。结论胆囊炎患者同侧相关穴位痛觉敏感性增加,穴位存在相对特异性。     

健康女性月经前后太白、冲阳穴伏安特性观察

为观察健康女性月经前后穴位伏安特性的变化规律,应用自制的智能型穴位伏安特性计算机检测系统对健康女性月经前、中、后太白、冲阳穴进行伏安特性检测。结果：月经中和月经后太白和冲阳大部分扫描点电阻值均高于月经前。提示穴伏安特性随月经周期中不同的气血盛衰而变化。     

丰隆穴位注射新斯的明致胃肠功能偏态时胃经穴位敏化及电针对其的影响

目的观察丰隆穴位注射新斯的明造成人为的胃肠功能偏态时胃经穴位敏化规律及电针对其的影响。方法健康志愿者28例,用红外热像仪记录生理状态下、丰隆穴位注射新斯的明10 min、电针足三里20min,取针后10 min胃经的上巨虚、梁丘、阴市、伏兔红外热像图,比较其变化情况。结果 1穴位注射新斯的明后,胃经上巨虚、梁丘、阴市、伏兔4个穴位温度呈下降的趋势;2丰隆穴位注射10 min后,穴位温度较注射时升高;3穴位注射新斯的明后电针足三里时,上巨虚、梁丘、阴市、伏兔4个穴位温度较注射10 min后低,上巨虚穴的温度,穴位注射前后比较,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);停针后,4个穴位的温度较电针时呈升高趋势;与电针比较,上巨虚、梁丘、阴市温差具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论穴位注射新斯的明后,胃经上的上巨虚、梁丘、阴市、伏兔4个穴位的温度呈现一定的变化规律,这些结果有助于探讨穴位敏化理论。     

电针足三里对功能性腹泻患者红外热像图影响的实验观察

目的探讨电针足三里对功能性腹泻患者胃经线上红外热像图的影响。方法通过红外热像仪对准左侧下肢段,以快速进针法将毫针垂直刺入左侧足三里穴,施行提插捻转手法促使得气,在足三里穴下方5 mm胃经循行路线上垂直刺入另一支毫针,两针形成电刺激的有效回路。使用疏密波,刺激频率2 Hz,刺激时间20 min,强度为2 v。采集电针前10 min,电针20 min,电针后10 min上巨虚、梁丘、阴市、伏兔穴位的红外热像图数据。结果①电针前,穴区温度为:梁丘穴阴市穴伏兔穴上巨虚穴,梁丘低于上巨虚,阴市低于上巨虚,伏兔低于上巨虚穴均有统计学意义(P0.05)。②与电针前比较,电针足三里时上巨虚穴、梁丘、阴市、伏兔穴红外温度下降(P0.05)。③与电针前比较,电针后上巨虚穴、梁丘、阴市、伏兔穴仍下降,在上巨虚、梁丘、伏兔穴均有统计学意义(P0.05),在阴市穴无统计学意义。结论电针前上巨虚穴温度可作为功能性肠病腹泻患者的特异性表现;人体脏腑功能活动等信息状况均能在经脉上有所体现,针刺对脏腑的效应作用过程中,存在经络系统的协同参与,且遵循腧穴-经脉-脏腑相关的理论。     

耳鸣侧别与经络压敏穴分布侧别的相关性研究

目的:探讨不同侧别耳鸣与经络压敏穴分布侧别的相关性,为诊治耳鸣科学选穴提供试验依据。方法:运用经络循按法,在62例耳鸣患者头顶及颈部、侧头及耳周部、背腰部和四肢肘/膝关节以下体表经络进行循经按压,记录出现的压敏穴数,对不同耳鸣侧别的左、右和双侧经络压敏穴数采用SPSS17.0进行卡方检验。结果:1左耳鸣时双侧经络压敏穴数多于右侧(P0.01),右耳鸣时双侧经络压敏穴数多于左侧(P0.05);左侧或右侧耳鸣时,有同侧经络压敏穴较多趋势,但无统计学意义(P0.05)。2双耳鸣时,双侧经络压敏穴数分别较左侧和右侧多,右侧经络压敏穴数较左侧多,即双侧右侧左侧(P0.01)。结论:无论左、右侧耳鸣还是双侧耳鸣,其压敏穴多分布在双侧经络。单侧耳鸣时,有同侧经络压敏穴较多趋势,但无统计学意义,需进一步增大样本量研究。     

A comparison on the metabolic profiling of the Mexican anxiolytic and sedative plant Galphimia glauca four years later

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Galphimia glauca has a long traditional use, and continues to be used in Mexico as a natural tranquilizer for the treatment of Central Nervous System disorders as well as for other illnesses.

Aim of the study

In 2005 the initial use of metabolic profiling to populations of Galphimia glauca resulted in two of the six collected populations being producers for galphimines, the markers for sedative and anxiolytic activities. The aim of this investigation was to confirm the previously established metabolic profile, as well as the previous in vivo results on mice. Additionally in this study we wanted to investigate potential anti-inflammatory properties.

Materials and methods

Four years later, we collected samples in the five localities designated for the first-stage investigation in 2005, and in two new locations. Metabolic profiling was carried out by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis applied to crude extracts from wild plant specimens. HPLC analysis was performed to confirm and quantify the presence of galphimines. Two neuropharmacological in vivo assays on mice were employed to study anxiolytic (elevated plus maze test) and sedative (sodium pentobarbital-induced hypnosis model) activities in the extracts. Anti-inflammatory activity was determined by using the tetradecanoylphorbol acetate-induced mouse ear inflammation model (TPA).

Results and conclusions

The results for the 2009 collected species were similar to the 2005 collection, confirming the metabolic profiles and that galphimines are consistent good markers for CNS activity. Galloylquinic acid levels varied between the years without, as of yet, known effects. In vivo anti-inflammatory activity was similar for all plants and thus not linked with galphimines, requiring further studies to identify the active compound(s). Areas of collection affect neuropharmacological activities but not anti-inflammatory action.     

关于针灸教材中穴位主治表述的探讨

目的：通过对腧穴主治表述的调整使针灸基础教材统一规范。方法：在教材中加入功效和对主治病种进行分类使穴位的主治表述具有逻辑性；简明的穴理研究成果介绍有助于学习者对穴位主治的理解。结论：无论从学习者对腧穴主治的掌握还是从针灸发展以及针灸对外交流等多方面看，对穴位主治的传统表述方式在正规针灸教材中有必要作出适当的调整。     

Traditional dietary additives of the Maasai are antiviral against the measles virus

Although ethnopharmacological investigations emphasize the importance of medicinal plants in developing countries, species used regularly with diet are under-investigated and potentially make greater contributions to health. Thirteen traditional plants most commonly added to milk/soups by the Maasai for perceived health benefits were tested for activity against measles virus (MV) using non-medicinal plants as controls. Antiviral effects of plant extracts were sought using a modified neutralization assay. Methanolic extracts of medicinal species exhibited significantly greater activity neutralizing MV in vitro in comparison to non-medicinal extracts (p<0.02). Four of 13 (31%) medicinal species versus 0/13 controls had measurable effects against MV in vitro. Olinia rochetiana (Olkirenyi) and Warburgia ugandensis (Osokonoi) extracts were most potent with the number of plaque forming units reduced 37- and 34-fold, respectively. Given the importance of monocytes in the dissemination of MV, we assessed the capacity of a subset of plant extracts to inhibit MV growth in monocytoid cell line, U937. MV output from U937 cells was significantly reduced by four of seven medicinal plant extracts (mean reduction 48 h: 39.0+/-26.0%, range 3.5-87%; 72 h: 56.4+/-29.5%, range 14.1-103.1%) (p<0.05). This study provides evidence that medicinal plants added to the Maasai diet may contribute to the modulation of viral infections.     

DNA barcoding of the Mexican sedative and anxiolytic plant Galphimia glauca

Ethnopharmacology relevance

Galphimia glauca (Malpighiaceae) is a Mexican plant popularly used as a tranquilizer in the treatment of nervous system disorders, although it is also used to treat other common illnesses.

Aim of the study

The aim of this investigation is to find out if populations of Galphimia glauca collected in different regions and ecosystems in Mexico actually belong to the same species by using the contemporary technique of DNA barcodes. Our previous metabolic profiling study demonstrates that different collections of this plant obtained from various geographical areas exhibited diverse chemical profiles in terms of the active compounds named Galphimines. We expected the DNA barcodes apart from indicating the different species of Galphimia would indicate the active populations.

Materials and methods

We employed matK, rpoC1 and rbcL DNA barcodes to indicate the different species. Furthermore to investigate the possible impact of the several different ecosystems where the seven populations were collected, thin layer chromatography was employed to create a partial chemical profile, which was then compared with the metabolic profiles obtained by ¹H-NMR and multivariate data analysis.

Results and conclusions

This study showed that the seven populations here analyzed contain at least three different species of the genus Galphimia, although each individual population is homogeneous. Interestingly our TLC analysis clearly showed that the active populations displayed a distinctively unique chemical profile. This work also showed that the use of DNA barcodes combined with chemical profile analysis is an excellent approach to solve the problems of quality control in the development of Galphimia-based medicines as well as for any breeding programs for this species.     

Effect of tongxinluo on vasoconstriction induced by the chronic injury of the adventitia in the rat carotid artery

Objective

Tongxinluo (TXL) is a traditional Chinese medicine that is developed on the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine, with the function of alleviating the angina. The present study was undertaken to explore the molecular mechanism of TXL in treating the pectoris angina through observing the effectiveness of TXL superfine powder on the vasoconstriction and the activation of RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway induced by the injury of the adventitia.

Methods

36 male Wistar Kyoto rats were assigned to 3 treatments (n = 12): vehicle, TXL (400 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) and fasudil (15 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹). After 1 week of treatment, adventitia injury was induced by positioning a silicone collar around the right carotid artery for 1 week. Blood flow and vascular reactivity to serotonin were determined 1 week after injurying, the both sides of carotids were harvested for morphometry, Western blotting analysis and RT-PCR analysis.

Results

Adventitia injury leaded to histological changes of vasoconstriction with the lumen cross-sectional area of 44.7% (p < 0.001) decreasing and the media diameter of 62.31% (p < 0.001) increasing, accompanying by the reduction of the blood flow and the increase of vascular reactivity sensitivity to serotonin. Treatment with both TXL superfine powder and fasudil can prevent the development of vasoconstriction, improve the carotid blood flow and normalize the vascular hypersensitivity to serotonin. Adventitia injuring of the rat carotid increased the expression of Rho-kinase mRNA and p-MYPT1^Thr696 protein by 1.78-fold (p < 0.05) and >2-fold respectively (p < 0.05). TXL reduced the expression of Rho-kinase mRNA and p-MYPT1^Thr696 protein by 54.2% (p < 0.05) and 57.1% (p < 0.05) respectively in collared arteries. Fasudil restrained the p-MYPT1^Thr696 protein expression by 63.8% (p < 0.05) in collared arteries, did not affect the collar-induced the increase of Rho-kinase mRNA expression (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Treatment with TXL, similar to that with fasudil, can effectively prevent collar-induced vasoconstriction and vascular hyperreactivity to serotonin through inhibiting the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway.     

中药治疗膝骨关节炎临床疗效和安全性的系统评价

目的：系统评价中药治疗膝骨关节炎的临床疗效和安全性.方法：运用计算机检索中国知网、万方数据库、维普数据库2000年1月至2012年9月收录的国内公开发表的中药治疗膝骨关节炎的临床研究文献,并进行Meta分析.结果：共检索出590篇相关文献,通过筛选最终有32篇文献纳入研究,涉及2 950例患者.纳入文献Jadad评分普遍不高,最高分为2分;32篇文献均说明了基线资料具有可比性;3篇文献采用随机数字表进行分组,3篇文献按就诊顺序随机分组,其余各篇随机方法未说明;各篇均未描述随机分配方案的隐藏方法;l篇文献采用单盲,l篇文献采用双盲,其余各篇均未描述盲法;各篇均未描述病例失访或退出情况.对32篇文献进行合并分析显示,治疗组和对照组的有效率分别为64.01％和43.96％,治疗组的临床疗效优于对照组（Z =6.850,P=0.000）,比数比=2.35,95％可信区间为1.84 ～3.01.20篇文献提及对用药安全性的观察,其中15篇文献记录了患者用药后不良反应发生情况.治疗组不良反应发生率低于对照组（Z=8.870,P=0.000）,比数比=0.14,95％可信区间为0.09～0.21.纳入疗效分析的32篇文献及纳入安全性评价的15篇文献的漏斗图均呈倒漏斗形,图形两侧分布均匀,提示纳入文献发表性偏倚不明显.结论：中药治疗膝骨关节炎疗效优于非甾类消炎药,且不良反应较少.但由于纳入的文献在方法学上存在问题,Meta分析得出的结论有一定的局限性,中药治疗膝骨关节炎的疗效和安全性还需要大样本、多中心、随机双盲的临床对照试验来进一步验证.     

面向临床的中药标准化研究

本文从源自临床的几个中药基本问题入手,通过对中药标准的概念与范畴以及当今中药标准化研究的现状与问题的探讨分析,首次提出面向临床的中药标准化研究的重要设想。结合临床的中药标准化研究的核心目标和关键就是要建立面向临床的中药标准体系,包括药性标准、品质标准、用量标准以及中药调剂操作规程（GUP）,“使质量标准更加贴近临床,使临床标准更有科学依据”,为中医临床“用好药,用好药”与中药科技产业上中下游协调发展提供技术支持和参考依据。     

Acute and subchronic oral toxicity assessment of the herbal formula Kai-Xin-San

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Kai-Xin-San (KXS) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula. It has been used in the treatment of diseases including neurasthenia, Alzheimer's disease and neurosis.

Aim of the study

To provide information on the potential toxicity of KXS, we evaluated the acute and subchronic toxicity in rodents.

Materials and methods

In acute study, a single administration of KXS was given orally to mice at doses ranging from 19.67 to 60.04 g/kg. In the sub-chronic oral toxicity study, KXS was administered to rats at 0, 1, 3 and 9 g/kg for 13 weeks. Moreover, 30 days of post treatment (withdrawal study) was conducted. Mortalities, clinical signs, body weight changes, food and water consumption, haematological and biochemical parameters, gross findings and organ weights were monitored during the study period.

Results

In the sub-chronic study in rats, daily oral administration of KXS at the dose of 9 g/kg/day result in significant increase in WBC, lymphocyte, alkaline phosphatase, blood sugar and significant decrease in bodyweight, serum Cre, CK and CHO at the last week of treatment. Recovery except for the body weight was observed after 30 days of post treatment.

Conclusions

KXS is relatively safe for oral medication. The LD₅₀ of KXS was over 32.59 g/kg for mice. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) was considered to be 19.67 g/kg/day for rats.     

Medicinal plants and their uses by the people in the Region of Randa,Djibouti

Ethnopharmacological relevance

The article presents the local knowledge on medicinal plants and their relevance in managing health problems. Important ethnobotanical leads are given with priority species and disease categories, casting insight on future phytochemical and pharmacological studies.

Aim of the study

The use of traditional medicinal plants has been an integral part of the traditional healthcare systems in Djibouti. However, scientific studies on the traditional herbal healing systems of the various cultural groups have never been undertaken. This study has, therefore, aimed at assessing plant-related ethnomedicinal knowledge of the people in Randa Region; prioritising the plants with respect to common disease categories and inferring about prospects of new pharmacological products.

Materials and methods

Interview-based ethnobotanical field study was carried out to document the plant-based ethnomedicinal knowledge handed down to the present by the oral tradition of people living in 24 villages in Tadjourah District of Randa Region (north Djibouti). Informant Consensus Factors (ICF) and Fidelity Level (FL) values of the medicinal plants were calculated to check the level of informant agreement and the healing potentials of the species.

Results

A total of 91 plant species that belong to 72 genera and 40 families were documented. Most of these species (92%) were collected from non-cultivated areas. Their local names and traditional uses in medicine were also studied. The plant family Fabaceae was represented by the highest number of taxa (17 species). Strong informant agreements hinted at good healing potentials of some species as shown by high values of consensus factors for eye diseases (0.98), mouth diseases (0.93), kidney problems (0.89) and microbial infections (0.84). Dodonea angustifolia, Solanum cordatum, Grewia erythraea, Acalypha indica, Acacia etbaica, Fagonia schweinfurthii, Solanum coagulans, Senna alexandrina and Grewia tembensis scored high FL values emerging as promising priority species for future pharmacological screening against microbial infections.

Conclusion

The results of this study may inspire further ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological research and investigations toward drug discovery in Djibouti and beyond.     

The effects of allitridi and amiodarone on the conduction system and reverse use-dependence in the isolated hearts of rats with myocardial infarction

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Allium sativum L. (DaSuan in Mandarin) is a traditional Chinese herb that has been used to prevent and heal cardiovascular diseases.

Objective

To study the effects of allitridi (an active constituent of Allium sativum L.) and amiodarone on the conduction system and on reverse use-dependence in the isolated hearts of normal rats and rats with myocardial infarction (MI).

Materials and methods

Male Sprague Dawley rats, with a ligated left anterior descending coronary artery, were used as myocardial infarction models to investigate the biological effects of the traditional Chinese herb. A single-phase electrode assay and isolated heart perfusion administration methods were employed to study and compare the electrophysiological effects of allitridi and amiodarone on normal and MI rats. Monophasic action potential (MAP) in vitro, effective refractory period (ERP) and monophasic action potential duration (MAPD)/ERP were measured to investigate reverse use-dependence (RUD) with allitridi and amiodarone. Moreover, bundle maps and heart rates were analyzed to evaluate the electrophysiological effects of allitridi on the conduction system of the cardiac muscles. Coronary flow was used to study the beneficial effects of the two drugs on the bundle of His in myocardial infraction.

Results

(1) Allitridi and amiodarone can reduce the infarction model of the His bundle (A-H, H-V) conduction and cardiac sinus rhythm in normal rats and isolated rat hearts. After washing in physiological solution (AK-H) for 15 min, the allitridi group partially recovered, but the amiodarone group did not recover. (2) Allitridi and amiodarone had no significant effects on the change of MAPD₉₀ or ERP in normal and MI rat hearts at different pacing frequencies (200, 250 and 300 beats/min), which indicated no RUD. In addition, the effects of allitridi on prolonging MAPD₉₀ and ERP were weaker than those of amiodarone (P < 0.01). The effects of allitridi on myocardial repolarization and its variation rate were also weaker than those of amiodarone (P < 0.01). However, the prolonged administration of allitridi still did not cause RUD. Allitridi and amiodarone can significantly increase the ERP/APD₉₀ rate of the isolated heart ventricles of normal rats and rats with MI.

Conclusion

We propose that allitridi and amiodarone have similar effects on the cardiac conduction system and on the electrophysiology without RUD, which may be the result of the use of multi-channel blockers, such as calcium channel blockers and IKr and IKs channel blockers. Allitridi may be a promising antiarrythmic drug.