Effects of acupuncture on functional gastrointestinal disorders:special effects,coeffects,synergistic effects in terms of single or compatible acupoints

OBJECTIVE:To investigate how the“special effect”/“coeffect”/“synergistic effect”can achieve a positive result using an“acupuncture prescription”for functional gastrointestinal disorders(FGIDs)in clinical practice,based on the characteristics of single/compatible acupoints and acupuncture techniques.METHODS:According to the search strategy,we searched six electronic bibliographic databases and provided a summary for this overview.RESULTS:A large body of evidence has shown that acupuncture has positive effects in the treatment of FGIDs.However,the“prescription”intervention involved different single acupoints,compatible acupoints and acupoints based on expert consensus.CONCLUSIONS:The core acupoints,including Tianshu(ST25),Zusanli(ST36),and Shangjuxu(ST37),emphasize the application of special acupoints,meridian points and nerve segments,and the two-way regulatory effect found in this study is often used as the basis of acupoint selection and acupoint prescription for acupuncture treatment of FGIDs.