Effects of Grain-Moxibustion on Signaling Molecule of Hydrogen Sulfide in Adriamycin-Induced Cardiomyopathy Rats

OBJECTIVE To observe the inhibitory effect of grain-moxibustion on ADR-induced cardiotoxicity， and explore the possible mechanism from the perspective of endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). METHODS 30 SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group， model group and grain-moxibustion group， 10 cases in each one. Rats in the model group and the grain-moxibustion group were treated with tail vein of ADR to establish the ADR-induced cardiotoxicity models. Rats in the blank group were treated with an equal amount of saline. Rats in the grain-moxibustion group were treated with grain-moxibustion at a same time of dosing building every day at Guanyuan(CV4) and Juque(CV14)， 5 cones at each acupoint， once daily for 4 weeks，2 d of rest per week. At the end of the last intervention， we detected HR， LVSP)， LVDP， +dp/dt_max， -dp/dt_max and t-dp/dt_max. Serum were collected to test the activities of LDH and CK and the content of cTnI， and myocardium tissue were collected to measure the content of H₂S， to make a comprehensive assessment of the cardiac function in rats. Myocardial tissue biopsies were prepared to observe the morphological changes of myocardial pathology organization. RESULTS Compared with the blank group and grain-moxibustion group， the HR， LVSP， +dp/dt_max and -dp/dt_max of the model group were reduced， while LVDP and t-dp/dt_max were increased（P<0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the activity of LDH， CK and the content of cTnI of the model group and the grain-moxibustion group were increased(P<0.05)， the content of H₂S in myocardium was reduced (P<0.05). Compared with the model group， the activity of LDH， CK and the content of cTnI of the grain-moxibustion group were reduced(P<0.05)， the content of H₂S in myocardium was increased (P<0.05). In the blank group， structure of myocardial cells is complete， intercellular space was normal without myocardial cells damage. While swelling， hyperemia and disordered arrangement of myocardial cells were observed by optical microscopy in the model group. But the situation of swelling and hyperemia in the grain-moxibustion group were milder than that in the model group. CONCLUSION Grain-moxibustion can improve the abnormal cardiac function and alleviate myocardial cells swelling and hyperemia which caused by ADR. The mechanism may be related with the regulation of the generation of endogenous H₂S.