[Acupuncture regulates dynamic flux of Ca, Na, and HO in skeletal muscle injury induced by eccentric exercise in rats].

This study aimed to investigate the effects of acupuncture on dynamic changes in Ca, Na, and HO flux following eccentric exercise-induced muscle injury. The total of 324 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: control group (C), eccentric exercise group (E), eccentric exercise with acupuncture group (EA), EA with TRP channel blocker group (EAT), EA with NOX2 blocker group (EAN) and EA with placebo group (EAP). Gastrocnemius muscles were subject to lengthening contractions with percutaneous electrical stimulation, followed by immediate pretreatment with blocking agents. After 30 min, acupuncture needling was administered to the gastrocnemius muscle, and real-time dynamic changes of Ca, Na and HO flux were measured with non-invasive micro-test technique during the needle retention period, immediately, 3 h, 6 h, and 24 h post-extraction respectively. Results showed that compared with the E group, acupuncture significantly increased net Ca efflux ( < 0.05), extended the period of net Na influx, and significantly decreased net HO efflux ( < 0.05). However, these effects were significantly attenuated in the EAT and EAN groups, where excessive net HO efflux was observed ( < 0.001). These findings indicate that acupuncture regulates the dynamic changes of Ca, Na and HO flux by activating the TRP channels and interacting with NOX2 activity following eccentric exercise-induced skeletal muscle injury.