Effects of regional heat stimulation by moxibustion on cardiovascular responses

Abstract

Background: Moxibustion is an alternative medicine performed by burning moxa at a specific part of the body. However, there has been no quantitative analysis of whether moxibustion induces physiological responses in previous studies. In this study, we investigated the thermal effects of moxibustion on cardiovascular responses. Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers participated in this study. Moxibustion treatment was applied to the lower leg (Zusanli acupoint). Heart rate(HR), blood pressure(BP) and skin temperature(ST) were measured continuously for 2 min at rest and 6 min at moxibustion. Results: HR significantly decreased (64.3±7.5 to 62.3±1.3bpm, p=0.005) when ST reached a maximum (45.0±10.1°C) by moxibustion. There was no significant change in BP, and the bradycardic effect was also observed when ST was continuously maintained with a 38°C heat stimulator at specific sites in the body. Conclusion: Regional heat stimulation by moxibustion provides fundamental evidence for effective bradycardia response.