Am J Chin Med. 1994 ; 22(3-4): 215-9.

Effects of acupuncture on blood pressure and plasma renin activity in two-kidney one clip Goldblatt hypertensive rats.

Lee HS, Kim JY.

Department of Physiology, Wonkwang University, College of Oriental Medicine, Iri city, Korea.

Shih-Hsüan [Sipseon (EX-UE-11)] are Curious loci lying outside of the meridians on the tips of each finger. These loci have long been the acupuncture sites for the treatment of cardiovascular disease in oriental medicine. Alterations in the renin-angiotensin system have been considered as the pathophysiological basis of the origin and/or maintenance of hypertension. Activation of the plasma or tissue renin-angiotensin system may be one of the cause of hypertension. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the effects of acupuncture on blood pressure and plasma renin activity. Acupuncture was applied on the EX-UE-11 of two-kidney one clip Goldblatt hypertensive rats. Both the systolic blood pressure and the plasma renin activity decreased significantly after treatment with acupuncture on the EX-UE-11. In the sham-operated and control rats, the procedure influenced the parameters without significant changes. The results suggest that the suppressive hemodynamic effect of acupuncture on the EX-UE-11 may be related to changes in plasma renin activity.