Myocardial contraction and relaxation are regulated by increases and decreases of the intracellular cytoplasmic calcium(Ca

(2+)

)concentration.Intracellular calcium ion is also a ubiquitous second messenger

and its related signal transduction pathways involve a variety of physiological activities and pathological changes.It has been well documented that intracellular calcium overload is involved in myocardial cellular injury.In the present paper

the authors make a review about experimental researches on the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion in the prevention and treatment of ischemic myocardial injury from reducing calcium overload in recent 10 years.Results of recent studies indicate that acupuncture and moxibustion interventions have a cardioprotective effect by raising Ca(2+))concentration.Intracellular calcium ion is also a ubiquitous second messenger

and its related signal transduction pathways involve a variety of physiological activities and pathological changes.It has been well documented that intracellular calcium overload is involved in myocardial cellular injury.In the present paper

the authors make a review about experimental researches on the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion in the prevention and treatment of ischemic myocardial injury from reducing calcium overload in recent 10 years.Results of recent studies indicate that acupuncture and moxibustion interventions have a cardioprotective effect by raising Ca

(2+)

-ATPase activity and nitric oxide content

lowering L-type voltage dependent calcium channel activity

and ameliorating calcium overload in ischemic cardiomyocytes mainly through cytomembrane

sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane and mitochondrial membrane pathways.However

the current studies on the mechanisms of acupuncture in the improvement of the ischemic myocardial injury are far unclear up to now and do not closely combine the clinical application.