Cardiovascular effects of atropine on acupuncture, needling with electrostimulation, at Tsu San Li (St-36) in dogs.

Acupuncture, needling with electrostimulation, at Tsu San Li (St-36) produced (1) significant decrease in cardiac output, (2) decrease in stroke volume, (3) increase in total peripheral resistance, and (4) minimal changes in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulse pressure, and central venous pressure in dogs under halothane anesthesia. Atropine given alone and given before acupuncture at Tsu San Li (St-36) produced (1) early significant increase in cardiac output, (2) early significant increase in heart rate, (3) increase in mean arterial pressure, (4) decrease in total peripheral resistance, and (5) minimal changes in stroke volume, pulse pressure, and central venous pressure in anesthetized dogs. It was concluded that the effects of acupuncture at Tsu San Li (St-36) were parasympathomimetic-like and that these effects could be blocked by atropine, a parasympatholytic drug.