[Progress of researches on the protective effect of acupucture in resisting myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury]

In the present paper, the authors review progresses of researches on the protective effect of acupuncture in resisting acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in patients and animals from (1) resisting injury of oxygen-derived free radicals, (2) reducing intracellular Ca2+ overload, (3) relieving dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells of the myocardium, (4) regulating immune functional activity and reducing inflammatory injury, (5) reducing cardiocyte apoptosis, (6) upregulating the expression of heat shock protein (HSP 70) in the myocardium, and (7) regulating activities of multiple cardiovascular protection factors and intracellular signaling pathways. The abovementioned results are mainly obtained from experimental animal studies. For this reason, the authors hold that the coming researches on acupuncture therapy for cardiovascular disorders should pay more attention to its clinical application, for example, controlled blood-pressure decline induced lower perfusion of the coronary artery, cardiac surgery (percutaneous tranluminal coronary angioplasty, intracardiac operation underdirect vision) etc.