Abstract
To determine the effect of moxibustion on blood flow in the gastric wall, gastric blood flow was measured seven times by H2 clearance method at 30 minute intervals in 14 anesthetized female rabbits. Moxibustion stimulation was performed 3 times at one acupuncture point on the left hindleg (S 36 zusanli) just before the third measurement.
The level of gastric blood flow was high during the initial measurement after induction of anesthesia, and then gradually decreased in both groups. In the control group (without moxibustion: n=6) the blood flow showed a continuous decrease, but in the stimulation group (n=8) it tended to increase momentarily by about 1.5ml·min-1·100g-1 at the third measurement (just after moxibustion) and 2.0ml·min-1·100g-1 at the fourth measurement, amounting to 22.7±2.4ml·min-1·100g-1 at the third measurement (control group: 18.9±1.9) and 23.2±2.9ml·min-1·100g-1 at the fourth measurement (control group: 18.0±2.2). The increase in the blood flow was observed in 5 of 8 cases in the stimulation group. However, there was no increase observed in the control group. The increased blood flow in the stimulation group began to gradually decrease, but the values remained higher than the values in the control group until the last measurement. Significant difference, p<0.05, was found between the changes in the blood flow in the two groups.
Since the increment of the blood flow after moxibustion was supposed to be due to the vasodilation, it is suggested that moxibustion may cause the dilation of the gastric blood vessels owing to excitation of the vagal nerve and/or inhibition of the splanchnic nerve.
