Effects of Electroacupuncture at Different Acupoints on Changes of Uterine Myoelectricity Induced by Oxytocin and Progesterone in Pregnant Rats

Objective: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) at different acupoints on abnormal changes of uterine myoelectric activities in pregnant rats so as to analyze the specificity of regulative effects of the acupoint. Methods: Forty-eight pregnant (18-20 days) Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (n=10), "Sanyinjiao" (SP 6) group (n=9), "Neiguan" (PC 6) group (n=10), "Hegu" (LI 4) group (n=8), and "Sanyinjiao plus Hegu" group (n=11). These rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection of a mixture solution of 1.5% chloralose (50mg/kg) and 25% urethane (420mg/kg). Electrohysterogram (EHG) was recorded by using a pair of stainless steel electrodes inserted into the subserous layer of the left mid part of the uterus. The reference electrode was placed in the adjoining subcutaneous tissue of the incision. Oxytocin and progesterone were given to the local uterus nearby the recording electrode to induce excitement and suppression of myoelectric activities of the uterus respectively. EA (2mA, 5/15Hz) was carried out at the above-mentioned acupoints separately for 20min, and the influence of EA on changes (amplitude and frequency) of fast waves and slow waves of the uterine myoelectric activity was analyzed. Results: As compared with control group, EA at SP6 plus LI4 and at SP6 alone had a significantly inhibitory effect on oxytocin-induced increase in the frequency and amplitude of both fast and slow waves (P<0.05); and EA at LI4 had a markedly inhibitory effect on the amplitude of fast waves (P<0.05). EA at PC6 had no any marked effect on both frequency and amplitude of fast and slow waves of EHG (P>0.05). Compared with control group, EA at SP6 plus LI4 and at SP6 alone could relieve or significantly relieve progesterone-induced suppression of the frequency and amplitude of both fast and slow waves (P<0.05); and the effects of EA at SP6 plus LI4 appeared earlier and lasted longer than those of EA at SP6; while EA at LI4 and PC6 had no obvious effect on progesterone-induced changes of the frequency and amplitude of both fast and slow waves (P>0.05). Conclusion: EA at SP6 plus LI4 and at SP6 alone has a dual-directional regulative effect on abnormal EHG, the effect of EA at SP6 plus LI4 is the strongest, EA at SP6 the secondary, EA at LI4 the weakest, and EA at PC6 shows no effect. In short, EA at different acupoints have their own relative specificity in regulating abnormal uterine myoelectric activities.

ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF EPIGASTRIC PAIN

Cases HistoryName: Chen; Sex: male; Age: 67; Occu-pation: retired worker; Date of first visit:July 9, 1985.Chief ComplaintsEpigastric pain for two months, withanorexia, dry mouth with bitter taste, op-pressed feeling in the chest, belching, impa-tience and peevishness. In the previous

ANALYSIS OF THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE ON ABSTINENCE FROM SMOKING

In recent years,more and more peoplein the world are willing to quit smoking bythe acupuncture method.Nevertheless,thereexist different opinions about thetherapeutic effectiveness of the method.Thedata collected in this respect are summarizedand analyzed as follows:

ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF EDEMA

Case History Name: Xu××; Sex: female; Age: 57;Occupation : retired worker; First visit date :July 7, 1987. Chief complaint; Edema of the face andlower extremities for one year. Present illness : The patient found, oneyear before, that there appeared slight swell-ing of both dorsum pedises every

HOW IS IMPOTENCE TREATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE?

Impotence refers to complete or partialinability of penial erection,so that normalsexual life is compromised.Clinically,only aminority of cases are of organic etiology,while the majority are only functional in or-igin that respond well to treatment.The common causes of impotence isdue to excessive sexual activity,indulgencein masturbation that damages the virile es-

Inhibition of the Na⁺/Ca²⁺Exchanger NCX₁Expressed in <i>Xenopus</i>Oocyte by Glycyrrhizic Acid and Cyclophylin A

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger plays an important role in regulation of airway smooth muscle contraction by regulating intracellular calcium, and is a potential target for treatment of asthma. To test modulation of exchanger activity, we used Xenopus oocytes as model system. Na+/Ca2+ exchanger was expressed in the cells by microinjection of cRNA of the exchanger isoform NCX1. The activity of NCX1 was determined as Ni2+-sensitive current under voltage clamp in low Cl– medium and in the presence of the Cl–-channel inhibitor niflumic acid. Only this composition of solution allowed determining NCX1-mediated current with sufficient accuracy. Among a few tested Chinese herbal drugs, glycyrrhizic acid turned out to be a potent inhibitor of NCX1 with an apparent IC50 value of 40 μM. Previous work had revealed elevated cyclophylin A concentration in serum of asthmatic rats after receiving acupuncture treatment. Extracellular incubation of the oocytes in cyclophylin A for one day led to significant inhibition with an apparent IC50 value of about 1 μM. We suggest that effects of acupuncture and application of glycyrrhizic acid as an active constituent of Chinese medicine for treatment of asthma symptoms may partially be attributed to inhibition of the reversed mode of NCX1 and that these compounds may stimulate the search for new anti-asthmatic drugs.

Influence of Different Acupuncture Method on Points Transcutaneous CO_2 Emission

目的:观察针刺得气及假针刺等不同刺激手段对经穴及经线上穴点经皮二氧化碳释放量的影响,研究针刺得气与外周组织能量代谢效应的相关性。方法:共测试二十名健康志愿者(男性8名,女性12名,平均年龄29岁),采用经皮二氧化碳测定仪,分别以五种不同的针剌方式刺激内关穴,在针前、针中及起针后测定上肢手厥阴心包经合穴曲泽及心包经上非穴点 A(天泉与曲泽连线下1/4处)、B(曲泽与郄门连线1/2处)的经皮二氧化碳释放量,并与非心包经穴点 C(A 点尺侧旁开2 cm)、D(B 点尺侧旁开2cm)进行对照。结果:针刺前后相比,假针刺和浅针刺组五点上的 TCE 值均有升高趋势,其中 B 点及曲泽穴上针刺中与针刺后的 TCE 比较有统计意义;得气组 A 点、B 点及曲泽穴针刺前后 TCE 值均升高,有统计学意义;经外 C 点、D 点针刺前后的 TCE 值有一定升高,但无统计学意义;用机械力压迫阻断内关穴前后的郄门或大陵穴后,曲泽穴及 A、B 点上 TCE值针刺过程中有所下降,起针解除压迫后有所升高,但无统计学意义。结论:采用假针刺可以对全身起到一个刺激作用,也有升高局部体表能量代谢的作用,这或许可以解释为什么许多针刺浅,医者或受刺者并没有传统的针感,但仍然可以获得临床疗效。传统针刺得气的操作方法能明显提高相关经线上的体表能量代谢,机械阻断可降低这种效应。

WHAT ARE THE SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JU-CI AND MIAO-CI? HOW ARE THESE APPLIED CLINICALLY?

similar acupuncture techniques, both ofwhich were well recorded in the 《YellowEmperor’s Internal Classic》, referring totreatment of disease of one (left or right)side of the body by puncturing points on theopposite (right or left) side. The chapter" On the Official Puncturing" in the book《The Miraculous Pivot》said that Ju--cimeant needling acupoints on the right sidewhen the disease was on the left side of thebody, and vice versa. Therefore, it is a kindof intersection method for selection ofacupoints in treatment of diseases. It was al-so written in the chapter " On ContralateralPuncture" in 《Plain Questions》 that need-

Influence of Mechanical Pressure to Change of Transcutaneous CO2 Emission by Acupuncture

Objective:In the authors'previous study,acupuncture had an effect along meridians.The effect ofacupuncture can be represented by local energy metabolism which can be expressed by transcutaneous CO2emission(TCE).To study the transportation of the effect of acupuncture and the influence to the transportationwhen blocking the meridians,the following experiment was carried out.Methods:Twenty healthy volunteers(male 8,female 12,average age 29)were examined on pericardium meridian at points between Quze(PC 3)and Tianquan(PC 2)(Point a),between Ximen(PC 4)and Quze(PC 3)(Point b),two control points(c and d)beside a and b and Quze(PC 3).TCE was measured on these five points before,during and after

Capillary blood flow in patients with dysmenorrhea treated with acupuncture

OBJECTIVE: To observe capillary blood flow at acupoints during acupuncture treatment of primary dysmenorrhea and gain new insights into its analgesic mechanism. METHODS: Patients with primary dysmenorrhea were enrolled and randomly assigned to a treatment or control group. Subjects' symptoms were differentiated into variousTraditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) syndromes and treated for 10 sessions with puncturing acupuncture or self-pressing right-hand Hegu(LI 4), adding other acupoints based on syndrome. Laser speckle was used to compare the change in the vasomotor amplitude and perfusion of the capillaries in Hegu(LI 4) before and during the treatment. Each subject was required to finish the period pain symptoms observation form, verbal rating scales, numerical rating scale, pain rating index, face rating scale, Zung self-rating depression scale, Zung self-rating anxiety scale, and numerical rating scale before and after treatments. RESULTS: After 10 sessions, the symptom scores, pain index(PI), and visual analog scale(VAS) decreased significantly in treatment group. The volume of blood flow in Hegu(LI 4) declined slightly. No significant evidence supported that needling caused capillary contraction, but the capillary vasomotor amplitude at Hegu(LI 4) increased remarkably. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can increase the capillary blood flow, thus promoting the flow of Qi and blood in terms of TCM theory, which facilitates pain relief.

Treatment of Insomnia with Guasha（Scraping）

刮痧疗法属于中医学“非药物疗法”，临床中应用该方法治疗失眠症，疗效较好。

Effect of grouped ST36 or RN12 on gastric motility and sensation

Objective: To investigate the effects of paired ST36 and RN12 acupuncture stimulation on gastric motility and the firing rate of responsible neurons in anesthetized rats.Methods: Using electrophysiological methods, we measured the effects of acupuncture at RN12, ST36, or RN12+ST36 on gastric motility as well as nerve discharges from the gastric sympathetic, vagal nerve, and wide dynamic range(WDR) neurons in the spinal dorsal horn T7-9 in anesthetized rats.Results: 1) Acupuncture at RN12 inhibited gastric motility(83.84±4.49)% and vagal nerve discharge(65.64±5.67)%, but promoted sympathetic nerve activity(243.70±40.67)%; acupuncture at ST36 induced opposing effects on gastric motility(111.31±2.01)% and vagal nerve discharge(166.98±15.92)%. Interestingly, acupuncture at RN12+ST36 together yielded effects similar to that of acupuncture at RN12 alone(93.59±2.05)%,(54.52±7.12)%. 2) WDR neuron discharges induced by gastric distension were inhibited by acupuncture at RN12(194.56 ±18.79)%. However, acupuncture at ST36 induced a more significant inhibitory effect.Conclusion: Acupuncture at RN12 inhibits gastric motility by activation of the sympathetic reflex at the spinal level; acupuncture at ST36 promotes gastric motility by activation of the parasympathetic reflex at the supraspinal level, and acupuncture at RN12+ST36 produces a similar decrease in gastric motility as RN12 stimulation alone. Both acupoints decrease the effect of noxious gastric distention on WDR neuron activity, but paired RN12+ST36 stimulation does not significantly affect WDR neuron discharge.