Electroacupuncture at Dazhui（GV14） and Mingmen（GV4） on the Governor Vessel has been shown to exhibit curative effects on spinal cord injury; however, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In this stu...Electroacupuncture at Dazhui（GV14） and Mingmen（GV4） on the Governor Vessel has been shown to exhibit curative effects on spinal cord injury; however, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we established rat models of spinal cord injury using a modified Allen＇s weight-drop method. Ninety-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equal groups： sham（only laminectomy）, SCI（induction of spinal cord injury at T10）, and EA（induction of spinal cord injury at T10 and electroacupuncture intervention at GV14 and GV4 for 20 minutes once a day）. Rats in the SCI and EA groups were further randomly divided into the following subgroups： 1-day（n = 11）, 7-day（n = 11）, and 14-day（n = 11）. At 1, 7, and 14 days after electroacupuncture treatment, the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale showed obvious improvement in rat hind limb locomotor function, hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the histological change of injured spinal cord tissue was obviously alleviated, and immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis showed that Wnt1, Wnt3 a, β-catenin immunoreactivity and protein expression in the injured spinal cord tissue were greatly increased compared with the sham and SCI groups. These findings suggest that electroacupuncture at GV14 and GV4 upregulates Wnt1, Wnt3 a, and β-catenin expression in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, exhibiting neuroprotective effects against spinal cord injury.展开更多
In the present paper, 58 prostatic hypertrophy patients were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) therapy. Their ages ranged from 50 to above 70 years in 38 cases and above 80 years in 20 cases. Main acupoints were Qu...In the present paper, 58 prostatic hypertrophy patients were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) therapy. Their ages ranged from 50 to above 70 years in 38 cases and above 80 years in 20 cases. Main acupoints were Qugu (CV 2), Henggu (KI 11), Shuidao (ST 28) and Guanyuan (CV 4) in combination with auxiliary acupoints Zhonglushu (BL 29), Huiyang (BL 35) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) which were stimulated with EA Therapeutic Apparatus for 30min. After treatment, of the 58 cases, 36 were cured, accounting for 62%, 20 had marked effect, accounting for 34%, and 2 had no any effectiveness, accounting for 3%. The total effective rate was 96%.展开更多
Objective: To observe the segmental distribution of afferent Electroacupuncture (EA) signals from acupoints of the Pericardium (PC) Meridian and try to analyze the relative specificity of running route of PC Meridian....Objective: To observe the segmental distribution of afferent Electroacupuncture (EA) signals from acupoints of the Pericardium (PC) Meridian and try to analyze the relative specificity of running route of PC Meridian.Methods: A total of 85 Wistar rats anesthetized with mixed solution of Chloralose (5 mg/100 g) and Urethane (42 mg/100g) were used in this study. Under microscopic observation, the micro-filaments of the distal end of the dorsal root were carefully separated after tearing the spinal pia mater to attach to a recording electrode. The reference electrode was placed beneath the skin of the incision. Two caudal and two rostral dorsal roots near the recorded one were cut off separately. Electrical activity of the isolated micro-filaments was observed before and after EA of "Daling" (PC 7) -"Jianshi" (PC 5), "Quze" (PC 3) of PC Meridian, "Yangchi"(TE 4)- "Zhigou" (TE 6), "Tianjing" (TE 10)-" Qin-glengyuan" (TE 11) of the Triple Energizer (TE) Meridian with electric current 1 mA and 2 mA and double pulses. Results: ① After EA (1 mA) of "Daling"(PC 7)-"Jianshi"(PC 5), the firing rates of 3 out of 10 (33.3%) micro-filaments in C5 segment, 5 out of 10 (50.0%) in C6, 7 out of 10 (70.0%) in 07, 3 out of 10 (30.0%) in C8 and 3 out of 13 (23. 1%) in T1 increased considerably；and after EA of "Quze" (PC 3), those of 3/10 of C5, 4/10 of C6, 6/10 of C7, 3/10 of C8, and 3/10 of T1 increased significantly. ② After EA (1 mA) of "Yangchi"(TE 4)- "Zhigou" (TE 6) and "Tianjing" (TE 10)- "Qinglengyuan" (TE 11). the firing rates of 2/10, 2/10 of micro-filaments In C5, 7/10, 3/10 of C6, 5/10 and 4/10 of C7, 1/10 and 1/10 of C8, and 2/13 and 1/10 of T1 increased significantly. It indicates that C7 dorsal root may play the first important role in conveying EA signals from PC Meridian acupoints to the spinal cord, while C6 and C7 may be mainly responsible for conveying EA signals from TE Meridian acupoints to the spinal cord. Conclusion: The peripheral afferent pathway for transmitting EA signals from PC Meridian acupoints probably has a relative specificity.展开更多
Recent clinical trial studies have demonstrated that the effects of acupuncture on pain improvement are small and no difference between acupoints and non-points. Whether acupuncture needles must be inserted in specifi...Recent clinical trial studies have demonstrated that the effects of acupuncture on pain improvement are small and no difference between acupoints and non-points. Whether acupuncture needles must be inserted in specific points depends on whether acupoint specificity exists that is still not resolved, and is now urgent. Previous anatomical studies have demonstrated that acupoints exist higher number of nerve fibers/trunks, blood vessels, hair follicles, and sweat glands as well as density of the gap junction. Recent evidence shows that nitric oxide（NO） level is elevated in the acupoints/meridians and is associated with an enhanced expression of NO synthase endowed with transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1. There is growing evidence from international groups showing that acupuncture induces NO-mediated vasodilatation, which increases local blood flow and allows for a flush of algesic or sensitizing substances, leading to pain relief. Previous studies, using a novel biocapture system, have demonstrated that NOx–（total nitrite and nitrate） and cyclic guanosine monophosphate（c GMP） concentrations are consistently increased over skin acupoints compared to non-meridian control regions（NMCR） in humans. Dermal microdialysis in humans showed that NO-c GMP releases in the subcutaneous tissue of acupoint are higher than those in NMCR and increased by electroacupuncture（EA）. Recent studies have demonstrated that low-frequency electrical stimulation and manual acupuncture with low stimulating force and rate produce an elevation of NO release predominantly over acupoints. In contrast, NO levels over the areas of the skin regions are moderately reduced by high-frequency EA stimulation. The results from anatomical and biochemical studies consistently show that acupoints exist higher levels of NO signaling molecules, and stimulus-evoked NO release is also with a higher level at acupoints. Results suggest that NO signaling molecules contribute to the specificity of acupoints, and selecting well-trained acupuncturetists for using correct acupoints and appropriate parameters should improve acupuncture clinical trial studies.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81373728
文摘Electroacupuncture at Dazhui（GV14） and Mingmen（GV4） on the Governor Vessel has been shown to exhibit curative effects on spinal cord injury; however, the underlying mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we established rat models of spinal cord injury using a modified Allen＇s weight-drop method. Ninety-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equal groups： sham（only laminectomy）, SCI（induction of spinal cord injury at T10）, and EA（induction of spinal cord injury at T10 and electroacupuncture intervention at GV14 and GV4 for 20 minutes once a day）. Rats in the SCI and EA groups were further randomly divided into the following subgroups： 1-day（n = 11）, 7-day（n = 11）, and 14-day（n = 11）. At 1, 7, and 14 days after electroacupuncture treatment, the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale showed obvious improvement in rat hind limb locomotor function, hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the histological change of injured spinal cord tissue was obviously alleviated, and immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis showed that Wnt1, Wnt3 a, β-catenin immunoreactivity and protein expression in the injured spinal cord tissue were greatly increased compared with the sham and SCI groups. These findings suggest that electroacupuncture at GV14 and GV4 upregulates Wnt1, Wnt3 a, and β-catenin expression in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, exhibiting neuroprotective effects against spinal cord injury.
文摘In the present paper, 58 prostatic hypertrophy patients were treated with electroacupuncture (EA) therapy. Their ages ranged from 50 to above 70 years in 38 cases and above 80 years in 20 cases. Main acupoints were Qugu (CV 2), Henggu (KI 11), Shuidao (ST 28) and Guanyuan (CV 4) in combination with auxiliary acupoints Zhonglushu (BL 29), Huiyang (BL 35) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) which were stimulated with EA Therapeutic Apparatus for 30min. After treatment, of the 58 cases, 36 were cured, accounting for 62%, 20 had marked effect, accounting for 34%, and 2 had no any effectiveness, accounting for 3%. The total effective rate was 96%.
文摘Objective: To observe the segmental distribution of afferent Electroacupuncture (EA) signals from acupoints of the Pericardium (PC) Meridian and try to analyze the relative specificity of running route of PC Meridian.Methods: A total of 85 Wistar rats anesthetized with mixed solution of Chloralose (5 mg/100 g) and Urethane (42 mg/100g) were used in this study. Under microscopic observation, the micro-filaments of the distal end of the dorsal root were carefully separated after tearing the spinal pia mater to attach to a recording electrode. The reference electrode was placed beneath the skin of the incision. Two caudal and two rostral dorsal roots near the recorded one were cut off separately. Electrical activity of the isolated micro-filaments was observed before and after EA of "Daling" (PC 7) -"Jianshi" (PC 5), "Quze" (PC 3) of PC Meridian, "Yangchi"(TE 4)- "Zhigou" (TE 6), "Tianjing" (TE 10)-" Qin-glengyuan" (TE 11) of the Triple Energizer (TE) Meridian with electric current 1 mA and 2 mA and double pulses. Results: ① After EA (1 mA) of "Daling"(PC 7)-"Jianshi"(PC 5), the firing rates of 3 out of 10 (33.3%) micro-filaments in C5 segment, 5 out of 10 (50.0%) in C6, 7 out of 10 (70.0%) in 07, 3 out of 10 (30.0%) in C8 and 3 out of 13 (23. 1%) in T1 increased considerably；and after EA of "Quze" (PC 3), those of 3/10 of C5, 4/10 of C6, 6/10 of C7, 3/10 of C8, and 3/10 of T1 increased significantly. ② After EA (1 mA) of "Yangchi"(TE 4)- "Zhigou" (TE 6) and "Tianjing" (TE 10)- "Qinglengyuan" (TE 11). the firing rates of 2/10, 2/10 of micro-filaments In C5, 7/10, 3/10 of C6, 5/10 and 4/10 of C7, 1/10 and 1/10 of C8, and 2/13 and 1/10 of T1 increased significantly. It indicates that C7 dorsal root may play the first important role in conveying EA signals from PC Meridian acupoints to the spinal cord, while C6 and C7 may be mainly responsible for conveying EA signals from TE Meridian acupoints to the spinal cord. Conclusion: The peripheral afferent pathway for transmitting EA signals from PC Meridian acupoints probably has a relative specificity.
基金Supported by National Institutes of Health Grant(No.AT002478,AT004620,and AT004504)from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine
文摘Recent clinical trial studies have demonstrated that the effects of acupuncture on pain improvement are small and no difference between acupoints and non-points. Whether acupuncture needles must be inserted in specific points depends on whether acupoint specificity exists that is still not resolved, and is now urgent. Previous anatomical studies have demonstrated that acupoints exist higher number of nerve fibers/trunks, blood vessels, hair follicles, and sweat glands as well as density of the gap junction. Recent evidence shows that nitric oxide（NO） level is elevated in the acupoints/meridians and is associated with an enhanced expression of NO synthase endowed with transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1. There is growing evidence from international groups showing that acupuncture induces NO-mediated vasodilatation, which increases local blood flow and allows for a flush of algesic or sensitizing substances, leading to pain relief. Previous studies, using a novel biocapture system, have demonstrated that NOx–（total nitrite and nitrate） and cyclic guanosine monophosphate（c GMP） concentrations are consistently increased over skin acupoints compared to non-meridian control regions（NMCR） in humans. Dermal microdialysis in humans showed that NO-c GMP releases in the subcutaneous tissue of acupoint are higher than those in NMCR and increased by electroacupuncture（EA）. Recent studies have demonstrated that low-frequency electrical stimulation and manual acupuncture with low stimulating force and rate produce an elevation of NO release predominantly over acupoints. In contrast, NO levels over the areas of the skin regions are moderately reduced by high-frequency EA stimulation. The results from anatomical and biochemical studies consistently show that acupoints exist higher levels of NO signaling molecules, and stimulus-evoked NO release is also with a higher level at acupoints. Results suggest that NO signaling molecules contribute to the specificity of acupoints, and selecting well-trained acupuncturetists for using correct acupoints and appropriate parameters should improve acupuncture clinical trial studies.
