[Animal Modeling] - Sleep Deprivation Method for Heart Qi Deficiency Syndrome Animal Model

  (1) Reproduction method: Adult rats were deprived of rapid eye movement phase sleep using small platform water environment technology, and a feeding hopper and water bottle were loaded above the water pool. During the experiment, the animals were free to feed and drink water. During the modeling process, observe the general situation of animal weight, diet, hair, and activity level; At the end of modeling, blood was taken from the heart to measure hemorheological indicators such as whole blood viscosity, whole blood reduced viscosity, plasma viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hematocrit (HCT), red blood cell (RBC) deformability, RBC aggregation, RBC electrophoresis time, and electrophoresis rate; Anesthetize the animal, open the abdominal cavity, and take a segment of the small intestine loop with a high degree of freedom (often retrieved from the blind area) for mesenteric microcirculation testing such as diameter, cross-sectional area, average blood flow velocity, average blood flow rate, and crossing points.

  (2) During the modeling process, the activity of animals gradually decreases, which is similar to the clinical manifestations of fatigue and fatigue in humans. The average weight gain and food consumption have decreased, and the hair is rough with the appearance of "inverted verticality". After modeling, the animal's whole blood viscosity, whole blood reduced viscosity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) K value, RBC aggregation increased, HCT increased, RBC electrophoresis time prolonged, and RBC deformability weakened, indicating that the animal's blood is in a highly viscous and hypercoagulable state. The detection of mesenteric microcirculation shows a decrease in average blood flow velocity and flow rate, as well as a decrease in crossing points.

  (3) Modern scientific research in comparative medicine has shown that excessive tension, anxiety, and sleep disorders can lead to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, unstable cardiac electrophysiology, and various arrhythmias. At the same time, it can also induce or exacerbate center of gravity dysfunction. Physical labor and overwork can also induce heart failure. The animal model of heart qi deficiency syndrome was established by simulating the causes of "shock" and "fatigue" in traditional Chinese medicine theory and using sleep deprivation method. After modeling, the animal's activity, average weight gain, and dietary intake significantly decreased, and the hair was rough, which was similar to the clinical manifestations of fatigue and fatigue in patients with heart qi deficiency syndrome. The peripheral blood was in a high viscosity and high coagulation state, which was roughly consistent with clinical research results. Therefore, it can be considered feasible to establish an animal model of heart qi deficiency syndrome using sleep deprivation method.