Acupuncture alleviates inflammatory pain by activating CXCL1/CXCR2 signaling in the primary somatosensory cortex in adjuvant induced arthritis rats. / S1脑区CXCL1/CXCR2å‚ä¸Žé’ˆåˆºæ”¹å–„ä½å‰‚æ€§å ³èŠ‚ç‚Žå¤§é¼ ç‚Žæ€§ç—›çš„ä½œç”¨æœºåˆ¶.

OBJECTIVES: To observe whether acupuncture up-regulates chemokine CXC ligand 1 (CXCL1) in the brain to play an analgesic role through CXCL1/chemokine CXC receptor 2 (CXCR2) signaling in adjuvant induced arthritis (AIA) rats, so as to reveal its neuro-immunological mechanism underlying improvement of AIA. METHODS: BALB/c mice with relatively stable thermal pain reaction were subjected to planta injection of complete Freund adjuvant (CFA) for establishing AIA model, followed by dividing the AIA mice into simple AF750 (fluorochrome) and AF750+CXCL1 groups (n=2 in each group). AF750 labeled CXCL1 recombinant protein was then injected into the mouse's tail vein to induce elevation of CXCL1 level in blood for simulating the effect of acupuncture stimulation which has been demonstrated by our past study. In vivo small animal imaging technology was used to observe the AF750 and AF750+CXCL1-labelled target regions. After thermal pain screening, the Wistar rats with stable pain reaction were subjected to AIA modeling by injecting CFA into the rat's right planta, then were randomized into model and manual acupuncture groups (n=12 in each group). Other 12 rats that received planta injection of saline were used as the control group. Manual acupuncture (uniform reinforcing and reducing manipulations) was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) for 4×2 min, with an interval of 5 min between every 2 min, once daily for 7 days. The thermal pain threshold was assessed by detecting the paw withdrawal latency (PWL) using a thermal pain detector. The contents of CXCL1 in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, periaqueductal gray and rostroventromedial medulla regions were assayed by using ELISA, and the expression levels of CXCL1, CXCR2 and mu-opioid receptor (MOR) mRNA in the S1 region were detected using real time-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The immune-fluorescence positive cellular rate of CXCL1 and CXCR2 in S1 region was observed after immunofluorescence stain. The immunofluorescence double-stain of CXCR2 and astrocyte marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) or neuron marker NeuN or MOR was used to determine whether there is a co-expression between them. RESULTS: In AIA mice, results of in vivo experiments showed no obvious enrichment signal of AF750 or AF750+CXCL1 in any organ of the body, while in vitro experiments showed that there was a stronger fluorescence signal of CXCL1 recombinant protein in the brain. In rats, compared with the control group, the PWL from day 0 to day 7 was significantly decreased (P<0.01) and the expression of CXCR2 mRNA in the S1 region significantly increased in the model group (P<0.05), while in comparison with the model group, the PWL from day 2 to day 7, CXCL1 content, CXCR2 mRNA expression and CXCR2 content, and MOR mRNA expression in the S1 region were significantly increased in the manual acupuncture group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Immunofluorescence stain showed that CXCR2 co-stained with NeuN and MOR in the S1 region, indicating that CXCR2 exists in neurons and MOR-positive neurons but not in GFAP positive astrocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture can increase the content of CXCL1 in S1 region, up-regulate CXCR2 on neurons in the S1 region and improve MOR expression in S1 region of AIA rats, which may contribute to its effect in alleviating inflammatory pain.

[Discussion on the safety of acupuncture in experimental animals].

Many basic studies on acupuncture need to be carried out on experimental animals. However, the safety of acupuncture in experimental animals has been neglected for a long time. In the present paper, we make a discussion on the current situations, causes, its influence on research results and countermeasures of acupuncture safety events in experimental animals, so as to promote the safety evaluation of acupuncture in experimental animals and the standardized operation of acupuncture.

[Progress of researches on acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of cartilage damage of osteoarthritis].

Cartilage damage is the key pathological mechanism in the progressive development of osteoarthritis(OA). Slowing down cartilage damage and accelerating cartilage repair are strategies for effective treatment of OA. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapies are widely used in relieving symptoms of OA and have a protective effect on cartilage. In this paper, we reviewed the mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion underlying relieving cartilage damage from three aspects: 1) promoting chondrocyte homeostasis by inhibiting apoptosis and improving cellular autophagy, 2) regulating extracellular matrix (ECM) metabolism (inhibiting decomposition and promoting synthesis) by suppressing the release of inflammatory factors and the activity of proteolytic enzymes, and 3) improving OA microenvironment by reducing the number of macrophagocyte 1 (M1) and increasing the ratio of M2/M1 in the local inflammatory locus. In addition, most studies on the mechanisms of acupuncture and moxibustion underlying remission of OA focus on the improvement of pathological changes, such as joint histopathology, cartilage morphology, synovial inflammatory reaction and infiltration, subchondral bone remodeling, etc., thus, the exact functions of acupuncture and moxibustion in ameliorating cartilage injury remain unknown. In view of the important role of mitochondrial dysfunction in promoting OA development and cartilage damage and the current use of tissue engineering methods of chondrocytes and mesenchymal stem cells to repair articular cartilage injury, it is highly recommended that future studies should pay more attention to these aspects.

Chemokine CXCL1 in serum mediates the antinociceptive effect of manual acupuncture at ST36.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory pain is the most common type of pain encountered clinically. The analgesic effect of acupuncture has been well-documented. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of chemokine CXCL1 in the serum on manual acupuncture (MA)-induced antinociception. METHODS: Rats with inflammatory pain of the right hind paw were induced by intraplantar (i.pl.) administration of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). After wards, the CFA-injected rats were treated daily with MA at ST36 from Day 1 to Day 7, and thermal nociceptive thresholds (paw withdrawal latency; PWL) were analyzed. The concentration of CXCL1 in the serum of the rats was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) after the first and the last MA treatment. Subsequently, the rats were injected with two doses (5 or 10 µg) of recombinant CXCL1 through the tail vein daily from Day 1 to Day 7 or injected with two doses (6.4 or 16 µg) of anti-CXCL1 antibody using the same methods and course at 30 min before MA, and the PWLs were measured again. Finally, naloxone (500 µg, 0.1 mL) was administered by i.pl. injection into the inflamed paw 5 min before the last MA treatment or last injection of recombinant CXCL1. RESULTS: MA significantly increased the PWLs and upregulated the expression of serum CXCL1 in the CFA-injected rats. Without acupuncture, repeated tail vein injection of recombinant CXCL1 showed an analgesic effect on CFA-induced inflammatory pain. Conversely, the neutralization of serum CXCL1 by anti-CXCL1 antibody decreased MA-induced antinociception in a time-dependent manner. Anti-CXCL1 antibody injected just once before the first MA did not affect MA-induced antinociception. The analgesic effects of MA and recombinant CXCL1 were reversed by an i.pl. injection of naloxone. CONCLUSION: This study indicates MA at ST36 had an analgesic effect on inflammatory pain and found a novel function of CXCL1. Increased serum CXCL1 had an antinociceptive effect on inflammatory pain induced by CFA. CXCL1 in serum appeared to be a key molecule involved in the peripheral mechanism of MA-induced antinociception. The analgesic effect of MA or recombinant CXCL1 on inflammatory pain might be mediated through a peripheral opioid pathway, which needs further investigation.

Bloodletting Puncture at Hand Twelve Jing-Well Points Relieves Brain Edema after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats via Inhibiting MAPK Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether blood-brain barrier (BBB) served a key role in the edema-relief effect of bloodletting puncture at hand twelve Jing-well points (HTWP) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the potential molecular signaling pathways. METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to the sham-operated (sham), TBI, and bloodletting puncture (bloodletting) groups (n=24 per group) using a randomized number table. The TBI model rats were induced by cortical contusion and then bloodletting puncture were performed at HTWP twice a day for 2 days. The neurological function and cerebral edema were evaluated by modified neurological severity score (mNSS), cerebral water content, magnetic resonance imaging and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Cerebral blood flow was measured by laser speckles. The protein levels of aquaporin 4 (AQP4), matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway (MAPK) signaling were detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with TBI group, bloodletting puncture improved neurological function at 24 and 48 h, alleviated cerebral edema at 48 h, and reduced the permeability of BBB induced by TBI (all P<0.05). The AQP4 and MMP9 which would disrupt the integrity of BBB were downregulated by bloodletting puncture (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In addition, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 signaling pathways were inhibited by bloodletting puncture (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Bloodletting puncture at HTWP might play a significant role in protecting BBB through regulating the expressions of MMP9 and AQP4 as well as corresponding regulatory upstream ERK and p38 signaling pathways. Therefore, bloodletting puncture at HTWP may be a promising therapeutic strategy for TBI-induced cerebral edema.

Initiation of Acupoint Molecular Mechanisms for Manual Acupuncture Analgesia-Nuclear Factor κB Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prominent molecular signaling in acupoints and explore their roles in initiating the analgesia effect of manual acupuncture (MA). METHOD: A three-step study was conducted, the experiment 1 was a genome-wide analysis of the tissue at acupoint Zusanli (ST 36), including 12 Wistar rats which were divided into control, control+MA1, and control+MA7 groups. In the experiment 2, the paw withdrawal latency (PWL), immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis of phospho-nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) p65 (p-p65), phospho-NFκB p50 (p-p50) at ST 36 were performed on rats of saline, saline+MA, and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)+MA groups (n=6). In experiment 3, 24 rats were divided into saline+DMSO, CFA+DMSO, CFA+DMSO+MA, and CFA+BAY 11-7082+MA groups, the PWL and immunofluorescence assay of NFκB p65 at ST 36 was conducted. RESULT: (1) The gene: inhibitor of NFκB (Nfkbia), interleukin-1ß (Il1b), interleukin-6 (Il6), chemokine c-x-c motif ligand 1 (Cxcl1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/Ccl2) expressions in the control+MA7 group were significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the expression of NFκB p65 (Rela), NFκB p50 (Nfkb1) were increased in the control+MA7 group (P<0.05). (2) CFA+MA groups showed increased PWL from day 1 to 7 (P<0.01 vs. CFA), and the Western blot results were consistent with immunohistochemistry, the expression of NFκB p-p65 and NFκB p-p50 were significantly increased in the MA-related groups compared with control and CFA groups (P<0.05). (3) Compared with the CFA+DMSO+MA group, the PWL of the CFA+ BAY 11-7082+MA group decreased significantly and continued until day 5 and 7 (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively), and the NFκB p65 expression of CFA+BAY 11-7082+MA was significantly reduced compared with CFA+DMSO+MA (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Local NFκB signaling cascade in acupoint caused by MA is an important step in initiating the analgesic effect, which would provide new evidence for the initiation of MA-effect and improve the understanding of the scientific basis of acupuncture analgesia.

[Effect of bloodletting acupuncture at twelve jing-well points of hand on microcirculatory disturbance in mice with traumatic brain injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of bloodletting acupuncture at twelve jing-well points of hand on microcirculatory disturbance in mice with traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to explore the protective effect of bloodletting therapy on TBI. METHODS: Sixty clean adult male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a model group and a treatment group, 20 mice in each group. The TBI model was established by using electronic controlled cerebral cortex impact instrument in the model group and the treatment group. The mice in the treatment group were treated with bloodletting acupuncture at bilateral "Shaoshang" (LU 11), "Shangyang" (LI 1), "Zhongchong" (PC 9), "Guanchong" (TE 1), "Shaochong" (HT 9) and "Shaoze" (SI 1) immediately after trauma. The mice in the sham-operation group only opened the bone window but did not receive the strike. The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was monitored by laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) using a PeriCam PSI System before trauma, immediately after trauma and 1, 2, 12, 24, 48, 72 h after trauma. The brain water content was measured by wet-dry weight method 24 h after trauma. The severity of functional impairment at 2, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h after trauma was evaluated by modified neurological scale scores (mNSS). RESULTS: ① 2 h after trauma, the mNSS in the model group and treatment group were >7 points, suggesting the successful establishment of model; compared with the sham-operation group, the mNSS was increased significantly from 12 to 72 h after trauma in the model group ( all P<0.01), but the mNSS in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group from 2 to 24 h after trauma (P<0.01, P<0.05). ② Compared with the sham-operation group, rCBF in the model group was decreased significantly immediately after trauma (P<0.01), and the rCBF in the model group was lower than that in the sham-operation group from 1 to 72 h after trauma ( all P<0.01); rCBF in the treatment group began to rise and was significantly higher than that in the model group 1-2 h after trauma (P<0.01); 12-48 h after trauma, the increasing of rCBF in the two groups tended to be gentle until 72 h after injury, and rCBF in the model group was decreased while that in the treatment group continued to rise and was higher than that in the model group (P<0.01). ③ 24 h after trauma, the brain water content in the model group was significantly higher than that in the sham-operation group (P<0.01), and brain water content in the treatment group was significantly lower than that in the model group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The bloodletting acupuncture at twelve jing-well points of hand could improve microcirculation disturbance, increase microcirculation perfusion, alleviate secondary brain edema and promote the recovery of nerve function in mice with TBI.

Comparison of effectiveness between warm acupuncture with local-distal points combination and local distribution points combination in breast cancer-related lymphedema patients: a study protocol for a multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Lymphedema is the most common complication after breast cancer treatment, but management of lymphedema remains a clinical challenge. Several studies have reported the beneficial effect of acupuncture for treating breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Our objective is to verify the effectiveness of warm acupuncture on BCRL and compare the effectiveness of a local distribution acupoint combination with a local-distal acupoint combination for BCRL. METHODS: This is a study protocol for a multicenter, three-arm parallel, assessor blinded, randomized controlled trial. A total of 108 participants diagnosed as BCRL will be randomly allocated in equal proportions to a local distribution acupoint (LA) group, a local-distal acupoint (LDA) group, or a waiting-list (WL) group. The LA and LDA groups will receive 20 acupuncture treatment over 8 weeks with local distribution acupoint combination and local-distal acupoint combination, respectively. The WL group will receive acupuncture treatment after the study is concluded. The primary outcome is the mean change in inter-limb circumference difference from baseline to week 8. The secondary outcomes include volume measurement, skin hardness, common terminology criteria for adverse events 4.03 (edema limbs criteria), stages of lymphedema from the International Society of Lymphology, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, and the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short-form Health Survey. DISCUSSION: This study aims to provide data on warm acupuncture as an effective treatment for BCRL and at the same time compare the effectiveness of different acupoint combinations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: Identifier NCT03373474 . Registered on 14th December 2017.

[Acupuncture prescriptions and regularity of acupoints matching in Huangdi Neijing].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the acupuncture prescriptions and regularity of acupoints matching in Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic). METHODS: Based on the manual retrieval of articles regarding acupuncture prescriptions in Huangdi Neijing an acupuncture prescriptions database of Huangdi Neijing was constructed. The frequency analysis was used to analyze the acupuncture prescriptions and regularity of acupoints matching from 8 aspects: prescriptions of single acupoint/acupoints combination, specific acupoints, principles of acupoint selection, acupoint matching methods, symptoms/diseases, names and classifications of diseases in traditional Chinese medicine, acute/chronic diseases, local symptom/systemic symptom. RESULTS: A total of 146 acupuncture prescriptions were obtained, including 76 prescriptions for single acupoint and 70 prescriptions for acupoints combination. The single-point prescription mostly involved specific acupoints, especially five-shu acupoints and crossing acupoint; shu acupoints were mainly selected in five-shu acupoints, and distant acupoint selection was the first choice for single-point prescription. The prescription of acupoints combination mostly involved combination of specific acupoints, especially five-shu acupoint combined with five-shu acupoint, and distant acupoint selection was the first choice for acupoints combination prescription; the acupoints combination prescription was mainly based on left-right acupoint matching method and same-meridian acupoint matching method. The single-acupoint prescription was applied for diseases of 4 systems, involving 61 diseases; acupoints combination prescription was applied for diseases of 3 systems, involving 47 diseases. The single-acupoint and acupoints combination prescriptions were mainly used to treat internal medical diseases. The single-acupoint prescriptions were used for patients with multiple symptoms, fewer diseases, more acute diseases and more local symptoms; acupoints combination prescriptions were used for patients with more diseases, fewer symptoms, more chronic diseases and more systemic symptoms. CONCLUSION: The acupuncture prescriptions in Huangdi Neijing are mostly based on distant acupoints, and most of them are single acupoint prescriptions. In multi-acupoint prescriptions, the combination of five-shu acupoints are mostly used, especially left-right acupoint matching method and same-meridian acupoint matching method. Single acupoint is used to treat acute and local symptoms, and multi-acupoint is used to treat chronic and systemic diseases.

Efficacy differences of electroacupuncture with single acupoint or matching acupoints for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that acupuncture is beneficial for the alleviation of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. However, there is a lack of clinical evidence concerning the effects of acupoint-matching on chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a parallel randomized controlled trial to evaluate the occurrence of nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy (the incidence of nausea and vomiting, frequency, VAS score, RINVR rating) as the main outcome for cancer. Quality of life, anxiety and depression scores are the secondary outcomes. Quality of life, anxiety and depression scores are the secondary phase. Use of remedy drugs, routine blood examination, and blood biochemical tests are the safety evaluation. We also compare the different effects of ST36 (single acupoint), CV12 (single acupoint), and ST36-CV12 matching groups. DISCUSSION: The results of this trial are expected to explore the effects of matching different acupoints and to offer biologic plausibility for the use of acupuncture in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov NCT02195921 , The date of registration was 17 July 2014.

Efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture with different acupoints for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Many patients experience nausea and vomiting during chemotherapy treatment. Evidence demonstrates that electroacupuncture is beneficial for controlling chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). However, the acupoint or matching acupoint with the best efficacy for controlling CINV still remains unidentified. METHODS/DESIGN: This study consists of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with four parallel arms: a control group and three electroacupuncture groups (one with Neiguan (PC6), one with Zhongwan (CV12), and one with both PC6 and CV12). The control group received standard antiemetic only, while the other three groups received electroacupuncture stimulation with different acupoints besides the standard antiemetic. The intervention is done once daily from the first day (day 1) to the fourth day (day 4) during chemotherapy treatment. The primary outcome measures include frequency of nausea, vomiting and retching. The secondary outcome measures are the grade of constipation and diarrhea, electrogastrogram, assessment of quality of life, assessment of anxiety and depression, and other adverse effects during the chemotherapy. Assessments are scheduled from one day pre-chemotherapy (day 0) to the fifth day of chemotherapy (day 5). Follow-ups are done from day 6 to day 21. DISCUSSION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electro-acupuncture with different acupoints in the management of CINV. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The register number of randomized controlled trial is NCT02195908 . The date of registration was 21 July 2014.

[Influence of different acupuncture manipulations at Zusanli (ST 36) on skin microcirculation blood perfusion in healthy subjects].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of different acupuncture manipulations at Zusanli (ST 36) on blood perfusion of skin microcirculation in healthy volunteer subjects. METHODS: A total of 10 healthy volunteers were recruited in the present study. Acupuncture manipulations of lifting-thrusting reinforcing and reducing, uniform reinforcing-reducing, and simple needle insertion were applied to right Zusanli (ST 36) for 2 min. Changes of blood perfusion in the right Zusanli (ST 36) area were detected 1 min, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 25 min and 30 min after acupuncture stimulation, respectively by using a Pericam Perfusion Speckle Imager. The interval between two detections for different needling manipulations was 2 days at least. RESULTS: In comparison with pre-acupuncture stimulation, the blood perfusion levels of the skin microcirculation around the right Zusanli (ST 36) region were significantly increased from 1 min to 10 min following simple needle insertion, from 5 min to 30 min after uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulation, from 1 min to 30 min after reinforcing manipulation, and from 1 min to 25 min following reducing manipulation, respectively (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the effects of reinforcing manipulation were apparently superior to those of the reducing, uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulations and simple needle insertion in upregulating blood perfusion level (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Lifting-thrusting reinforcing, reducing, uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulations of acupuncture needle, and simple needle insertion at Zusanli (ST 36) can obviously increase blood perfusion level in normal volunteer subjects, and the effect of reinforcing manipulation is apparently better.

[A review of recent researches on correlation between ATP and acupuncture efficacies].

It has been documented that adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a multifunctional nucleoside triphosphate used in cells, including chemical energy transportation, extra- and intracellular signaling, cell structure maintaining, DNA and RNA synthesis, etc. In the present paper, the authors reviewed studies on the involvement of ATP in different efficacies of acupuncture intervention from the following four aspects. 1) ATP release in the stimulated acupoint area is one of the key factors for producing acupuncture analgesia; 2) Acupuncture induced suppression of ATP activity in the central nervous system results in pain relief; 3) ATP application on the human body surface may strengthen the sensation propagation along the meridian; 4) Favorable regulation of acupuncture intervention on the abnormal functional activities of some viscera often accompanies with an increase of ATP content and ATPase activity in the related internal organs. It has been proposed that ATP, Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are closely related each other in the life activities of the organism. Hence, a reasonable regulation on ATP levels in the related organs of the body may be a new approach for raising clinical therapeutic effects of acupuncture therapy.

[Influence of acupuncture or thermal acupuncture stimulation at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on thoracic duct lymph volume and the relevant chemical substances in normal rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of thoracic duct lymph volume and the contents of histamine (HA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), etc. in the lymph after acupuncture or thermal acupuncture interventions, in order to investigate the effect of lymphatic system in transmitting acupuncture and moxibustion signals. METHODS: A total of 45 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, acupuncture group, and thermal acupuncture (acupuncture with the needle warmed by burning moxa) group (n = 15/group). The rat thoracic duct lymphatic fistula model was replicated. Acupuncture or thermal acupuncture was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36), and the changes of thoracic duct lymph volume and the concentrations of HA, 5-HT in the lymph were observed. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the thoracic duct lymph volume in acupuncture group and thermal acupuncture group were obviously increased (P < 0.05), while the concentrations of lymph HA and 5-HT in both acupuncture and thermal acupuncture groups had no significant changes (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both acupuncture and thermal acupuncture interventions can increase the thoracic duct lymph volume, but have no effects on lymph HA and 5-HT contents in normal rats.

[Recent developments of the study on the energy metabolism in the meridians].

Based on the literatures retrieved on CNKI and PubMed database in recent twenty years, the major indices of meridian activities, for instance, ATP, oxygen partial pressure, transcutaneous CO2 emission, pH value, temperature, and the energy metabolic characters along the meridians, are analyzed and summarized in this paper. The selection requirements of study subjects, the acupoint selection principles, and research methods are introduced in great detail according to selecting appropriate pathological model, applying the specifity of acupoints and the physiologic characteristics of meridians in order to establish cooperation among relevant fields.

Distribution and permeability of capillaries at the skin of the conception vessel and the governor vessel in healthy rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution and permeability of blood vessels on the Conception Vessel and the Governor Vessel in the physiological state. METHODS: Evans blue (EB) solution was injected into the marginal ear vein of healthy rabbits. Three hours after injection, the rabbits were sacrificed and the skin on the Conception Vessel and the Governor Vessel and the corresponding bilateral non-channels was collected. EB was extracted with 7:3 acetone: physiological saline, and the absorbance of EB at each skin tissue was measured with a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The A value of EB absorbance at the Conception Vessel on the abdominal skin was lower than that of the corresponding bilateral non-channels with a statistically significant difference (P< 0.01). The A value of EB absorbance at the Governor Vessel on the back was higher than that of the corresponding bilateral non-channels (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the A value of EB absorbance between the bilateral non-channels of the abdomen and the back (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There were differences in capillary distribution and permeability between the Conception Vessel, the Governor Vessel and the corresponding bilateral non-meridians.

[Explanatory clinical trials and pragmatic clinical trials on clinical effective evaluation of acupuncture].

The concepts and relations of explanatory clinical trials and pragmatic clinical trials on randomized controlled trials of acupuncture are stated. The explanatory clinical trials and pragmatic clinical trials are different in the purpose of study, the controlled method, the treatment method and the solution problems. The explanatory clinical trials may enhance the understanding of the mechanism of a treatment; the findings of pragmatic clinical trials may be applied immediately in clinical practice. This paper explains that these clinical trials are of great importance to the methodology and practices of clinical effective evaluation of acupuncture based on TCM theory.