[Experimental observation on the relation between pericardium meridian and cardiac function]

Abstract

The theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) holds that "internally, meridians connect with the visceral organs, and externally, with the joints, limbs and other superficial tissues of the body". The results of the investigations on the meridian phenomena, including propagated sensation along meridians (PSM) and others, also showed that certain lines or tracks, coincident with the course of classical meridians, really existed over the body surface. In order to probe into the relation between the pericardium meridian, acting as a organic whole, and the cardiac function, 100 cases of patients suffering from coronary heart disease, with or without PSM, were observed on the one and the same subject before and after acupuncture for comparison. Four acupoints, namely Neiguan (PC6), Ximen (PC4), Quze (PC3), Tianquan (PC2) and two other non-acupoint spots on the Pericerdium Meridian of the same person were acupunctured in different days respectively. At the same time, the spots locating on the both sides of above 4 acupoints, with a distance of 1.5-2.0 cm from them former, and Guangming (GB37) of Gall-Bladder Meridian were taken as controls. Electrocardiogram, cardiophonogram and rheocardiogram were recorded simultaneously. Taking PEP, LVET, P/L, HI, SV, CO, ST segment and T wave of ECG as indexes for analysis, the effect of acupuncture of acupoints on Pericardium Meridian and controls were compared. The results of 737 times of observation demonstrated that the 8 indexes of 4 acupoints and other two non-acupoint spots on the Pericardium Meridian all changed conspicuously after acupuncture. However, the changes of above indexes of the controls, including 8 spots beside Pericardium Meridian, were slight.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)