<p style="text-align: center;">Qun LIU，Yuanyuan W ANG，Chen ZHOU，Qiufu DAI, Juanjuan&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: center;">XIN, Shuyang WU, Yanfeng LU, Junhong GAO, Xiaochun YU</p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing 100700, China)</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Abstract</strong> <strong>Objective</strong>: To study the facilitation and attenuation of electro-acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) on the cardiac effects of aconitine for treatment of heart failure.&nbsp; Methods: SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, aconitine group (ACO group) and aconitine + electric acupuncture group (ACO+EA group). Except the control group, acute heart failure rat model was established by intravenous infusion of propranolol, and rats were treated with normal saline, normal saline, aconitine, aconitine and electro-acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) respectively.Hemodynamic&nbsp; indexes&nbsp; such&nbsp; as&nbsp; left&nbsp; ventricular&nbsp; pressure(LVP),&nbsp; rate&nbsp; of&nbsp; left&nbsp; ventricle&nbsp; systolic pressure&nbsp; change(dp/dtmax)&nbsp; and&nbsp; rate&nbsp; of&nbsp; left&nbsp; ventricular&nbsp; diastolic&nbsp; pressure&nbsp; change&nbsp; (dp/dtmin)&nbsp; were observed. Ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were&nbsp; measured to evaluate the cardiac function. The incidence rate of arrhythmia and arrhythmia score was observed through an electrocardiogram (ECG).&nbsp; Results:&nbsp; After model establishment, LVP and dp/dtmax were decreased; they increased after aconitine or aconitine combined with electro-acupuncture treatment （P＜0.05） . The effect of aconitine combined with electro-acupuncture was superior to that of aconitine, and there&nbsp; was&nbsp; statistical&nbsp; difference&nbsp; between&nbsp; ACO&nbsp; group&nbsp; and&nbsp; ACO+EA&nbsp; group&nbsp; after&nbsp; aconitine administration for 1 minute and 60 minutes&nbsp; （P＜0.05） . The absolute value of dp/dtmin decreased after model established （P＜0.05）, and did not improve after aconitine treatment, but it increased after&nbsp; aconitine&nbsp; administration&nbsp; for&nbsp; 15,30&nbsp; and&nbsp; 60&nbsp; minutes,&nbsp; and&nbsp; there&nbsp; was&nbsp; a&nbsp; statistical&nbsp; difference between&nbsp; the ACO&nbsp; group&nbsp; and ACO+EA&nbsp; group （P＜0.05）.EF&nbsp; and&nbsp; FS&nbsp; decreased&nbsp; after&nbsp; model establishment,&nbsp; and&nbsp; increased&nbsp; after&nbsp; aconitine&nbsp; or&nbsp; aconitine&nbsp; combined&nbsp; with&nbsp; electro-acupuncture treatment, and&nbsp; the effect of aconitine combined with electro-acupuncture was superior to that of aconitine, and there was a statistical difference between ACO group and ACO+EA group（P＜0.05）. The incidence rate of arrhythmia was 100% in the rats of ACO group, and 58.3% in the rats of ACO+EA group. The arrhythmia score between the two groups was statistically different（P＜0.05）.&nbsp; Conclusion: There was positive inotropic effect of aconitine, but aconitine could induce arrhythmia with the increase of doses. Both systolic and diastolic function&nbsp; of the heart&nbsp; could increase after treated by electro-acupuncture at Neiguan combined with aconitine, and the side effect of arrhythmia reduced. These indicated facilitation and attenuation of electro-acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6) on the cardiac effects of aconitine for treatment of heart failure.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Key&nbsp; words</strong>:&nbsp; Heart&nbsp; failure,&nbsp; Aconitine,&nbsp; Electro-acupuncture,&nbsp; Facilitation&nbsp; and&nbsp; attenuation&nbsp; effect,haemodynamics, Echocardiogram</p><p><br/></p>