[On acupoints].

Acupoint is the basis of acupuncture. To elaborate the theory of acupuncture, the structure and function of acupoint should be clarified in advance. By exploring the discussion upon the classification, distribution and structure of acupoint in Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor), qi zheng lun (on meridian points and extra points), jie jiao lun (on convergence of joints) and guan ji lun (on three-dimensional structure of acupoint) are extracted. Based on whether located on the fixed sites, acupoints are classified into meridian points and extra points, while the meridian points are divided into 4 categories, i.e maishu, gukong, qixue and muxue. The convergence of joints illustrates the principal rule of acupoint distribution. The density of the major and key acupoints is proportional to the size and the complexity of function of joints. Acupoint is recognized as a three-dimensional structure in consideration of its external distribution on the body surface and the substances inside the body, which can be explored and examined. In addition, the relationship between meridian points and extra points, the significance of meridian points in different conditions, and the approaches to acupoint study are deeply discussed and analyzed. The crucial problems and the way for solving them are proposed for the future study to provide the references to the inheritance and innovation of acupuncture.

[Evolution of acupuncture techniques for jin diseases and the rise and fall of jingjin doctrine].

It has the important enlightenment and reference significance for the inheritance and innovation of jin (sinew/fascia) diseases and its theoretic basis, jingjin (muscle region of meridian) doctrine by sorting out the origin of the acupuncture techniques for jin diseases and exploring the root of its rise and fall. Using context analysis, overall investigation and practice test, the paper elaborates the basic concepts, e.g. needling techniques for jin, jingjin, jinji (muscular contracture) and jiejin (knotted tendon), and jingjin doctrine. In particular, the three key concepts, i.e. fanzhen jieci (heating after needling), yizhi weishu (feelings from patients and acupuncture operators) and yitong weishu (the worst painful sites of muscle spasm) are deeply investigated. These three concepts, involved in the treatment of jingjin disorders, treatment principles and methods, are of a great controversy in the current academic circle. The author clarified the category of needling for jin disease and main needling techniques, investigated specially the origin of fanzhen jieci and guancifa (repeated needling directly on the foci), and explored the evolution of the needling methods that had been controversial or neglected for a long time, i.e. neire cifa (technique for inducing heat inside for cold obstruction), guancifa, tiaocifa (inserting the needles around the foci), fencifa (intramuscular needling) and mucifa (deep puncturing to the peritoneum or on front-mu points). Finally, from the relationship between jin and mai (meridian), and the differences between dry needling and acupuncture technique for jin diseases, the author explored the crucial problems and countermeasures urgently required in the future development of jingjin doctrine so as to provide the references for the theoretical innovation of acupuncture- moxibustion science.

[Interpretation of China national standard Nomenclature and Location of Meridian Points (GB/T 12346-2021)].

To cooperate with the popularization and application of the China national standard Nomenclature and Location of Meridian Points (GB/T 12346 -2021), this study introduced the differences between the 2021 version and the 2006 version, and explained the principles of the revision and the changes in the standard name, terminology, definition and the expression of meridian points' body regions. In addition, the revision of the specific contents, including the adjustment of "bone proportional cun" of several meridian points and the revision basis of location of some meridian points were explained.

[The ancient literature source and flow of the point to point penetration acupuncture method].

It has been the consensus of the academic community that the doctor DOU Han-qing in Jin-Yuan Dynasty was the pioneer of point to point penetration acupuncture method.The contents of several texts in Yuan-Ming-Qing Dynasties were combed on the basis of Dou Taishi Zhenjing(《》).The paradigm,the acupoints,basic elements and the characteristics of the main treatment of diseases were discussed,and the relationship between the point to point penetration acupuncture method with the penetration acupuncture method has been tried to distinguish from the perspective of technical philosophy. It was found that the specifications and quantity of the 28 "penetration and to" cases in Dou Taishi Zhenjing(《》)were sufficiently exemplary for future generations, and were the source documents of Yuan-Ming-Qing's texts,which basically followed its specifications and content and developed.For example,the Yulong Poetries(《》)in the books of Bianque Shenying Zhenjiu Yulong Jing(《》),Zhenjiu Dacheng(《》),Zhenfang Liuji(《》).The 37 cases in Zhenfang Liuji(《》) were the most in several texts.The 31 cases in Xunjing Kaoxue Bian(《》)had the characteristics of DOU Han-qing, YANG Ji-zhou and LING Yun, who developed the opposite direction penetration method with two or more needles on DOU Han-qing's one needle.There were five basic elements in the point to point penetration acupuncture method:the needle pri-cking inch(depth), the needle pricking angle, the needle pricking direction, the starting acupoint, the end acupoint.This method in Dou Taishi Zhenjing(《》)mostly treated local diseases and symptoms,some acupoints below the elbows and knees also treated far-end diseases.The point to point penetration acupuncture method has a specific intention structure, which cannot be confused with the penetration acupuncture method.

Tubeimoside I Ameliorates Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury through SIRT3-Dependent Regulation of Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis.

Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a phenomenon that reperfusion leads to irreversible damage to the myocardium and increases mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients. There is no effective drug to treat MIRI. Tubeimoside I (TBM) is a triterpenoid saponin purified from Chinese traditional medicine tubeimu. In this study, 4 mg/kg TBM was given to mice intraperitoneally at 15 min after ischemia. And TBM treatment improved postischemic cardiac function, decreased infarct size, diminished lactate dehydrogenase release, ameliorated oxidative stress, and reduced apoptotic index. Notably, ischemia-reperfusion induced a significant decrease in cardiac SIRT3 expression and activity, while TBM treatment upregulated SIRT3's expression and activity. However, the cardioprotective effects of TBM were largely abolished by a SIRT3 inhibitor 3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl) pyridine (3-TYP). This suggests that SIRT3 plays an essential role in TBM's cardioprotective effects. In vitro, TBM also protected H9c2 cells against simulated ischemia/reperfusion (SIR) injury by attenuating oxidative stress and apoptosis, and siSIRT3 diminished its protective effects. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that TBM protects against MIRI through SIRT3-dependent regulation of oxidative stress and apoptosis. TBM might be a potential drug candidate for MIRI treatment.

[Footprints on the foundation road of Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in seventy years].

The exploration and representative achievements of Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences are reviewed during the past 70 years since its foundation in the basic research field, e.g. theoretic innovation, literature research, cultural relic study and museum construction, as well as acupuncture-moxibustion standardization. Besides, the analysis is conducted on the relevant aspects that needs to be improved or enhanced. Facing the future and reviewing the original aspiration, the approaches to the new journey of inheritance and innovation in Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion have been explored, i.e. discovering rules, creating innovation methods, constructing platform and refining essence.

[Masterpiece of reconstruction of theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine-revelation of LOU Ying's Yi Xue Gang Mu (An Outline of Medicine)].

For the first time, at the early Ming Dynasty, the theoretical system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are integrated with clinical diagnosis and treatment system in Yi Xue Gang Mu (An Outline of Medicine) written by LOU Ying. Under this unified theoretical framework, the integration of acupuncture prescription with herbal medicine formula is achieved, thus, a complete reconstruction of theoretic system of TCM is accomplished. Such reconstruction brings an extensive and profound impact on the development of medicine in the Ming and Qing dynasties, even influences implicitly the compilation of modern TCM textbooks. Through in-depth study of the theoretical innovation mode of An Outline of Medicine, the valuable revelation is provided for the inheritance and innovation of TCM in modern times.

Tubeimoside I promotes angiogenesis via activation of eNOS-VEGF signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Tubeimoside I (TBM) is a triterpenoid saponin purified from tubeimu (tuber of Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim.) Franquet). In traditional Chinese medicine, tubeimu had been used to treat acute mastitis, snake bites, detoxication, inflammatory diseases, and tumors for over 1000 years. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate whether TBM could promote angiogenesis and how to promote angiogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vivo, the pro-angiogenic effects of TBM were examined using the hindlimb ischemia model. After the ischemia operation, 1 mg/kg/day TBM was given via intraperitoneal injection for 28 days and the recovery of blood flow was monitored by Doppler scanner every 7 days. The capillary density in gastrocnemius muscle was detected by immunofluorescence. Expression of related proteins were determined by western blotting. In vitro, the pro-angiogenic effects of TBM on HUVECs were examined by Cell Counting Kit-8, scratch assay, endothelial cell tube formation assay and western blotting. RESULTS: TBM improved recovery from hindlimb ischemia in C57BL/6 mice. TBM promoted endothelial cell viability, migration and tube formation in HUVECs. TBM could activate eNOS-VEGF signaling pathway by enhancing expression of eNOS. And TBM's pro-angiogenesis effects could be abolished by L-NAME (an inhibitor of eNOS). CONCLUSIONS: TBM promoted angiogenesis via the activation of eNOS-VEGF signaling pathway and TBM could be a novel agent for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic diseases.

[Evolution of the concept of extra ordinary point and standardization of related terms].

Through an analysis of the historical development of the concept of extra ordinary point, it is found that the terms of "Qi point" "extra ordinary point" "Loujing point" "extra meridian point" and "Bie point" used in the ancient medical books in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties actually expressed two different concepts of "extra ordinary points with the magical effects" and "extra points other than the meridian points". The standardized term for the former concept should be "extra ordinary point" (Qi point for short), and the standardized term for the latter concept should be "extra meridian point", which is also called "Loujing point" and "Bie point". Since these two different concepts are not clarified in modern acupuncture textbooks, especially the misreading of "Jing Wai", no consensus has been reached on the definition of "extra ordinary point" and "extra meridian point", and the standardized terms have not been decided, which changed from "extra ordinary point" to "Qi point" and "extra point" and recently returned to "extra ordinary point". These confusions in textbooks have a direct impact on the determination of the related acupuncture terms used in national and international standards.

[Objective, approach and symbolic achievement of the standardization on extraordinary points].

Through sorting out the development of meridian points and the standardization of extraordinary points in dynasties, two objectives are discovered in the standardization of extraordinary points starting from the Tang Dynasty. The points with extraordinary effect are selected points and transferred to meridian points and the commonly-used key points are selected and developed to be standardized acupoints. Hence, 3 approaches are summarized. Approach No.1: a large number of "meridian-outside" points that are the potential supplementation but not included yet in meridian points are supplemented to meridian points. Approach No.2: based on the specified requirement, the key points are selected from the acupoints with determined locations and names, which is developed to be the standard of acupoints. Approach No.3: the acupoints with extraordinary effect are selected from the "meridian-outside" points and these points are collected for the formulation of the standard of extraordinary points. The latter two approaches provide for the development direction of teaching and standardization in the future.

[The relationship between acupuncture-moxibustion theory of DOU Hanqing and Neo- Confucianism].

For the construction factors of acupuncture-moxibustion theory of DOU Hanqing, a doctor in Jin-Yuan Dynasty, we studied his life, acupuncture-moxibustion theory and culture background in the History of Medicine and Philosophy of Science & Technology. It was found that the major source of DOU Hanqing' s Confucianism was the CHENG-ZHU Neo-Confucianism. The data show that Neo-Confucianism played an important role in the enrichment of his human nature, spirit, moral cultivation and political talent, making him a scholar in the Jin-Yuan dynasty, also shaping his medical ethics, medical skill and acupuncture-moxibustion theory. The inheritance, development and application of CHENG-ZHU Neo-Confucianism provided the most fundamental thinking, research methods and patterns for DOU Hanqing to interpret the acupuncture classics, summarize his teachers' experience and develop his theoretical system. DOU Hanqing' s acupuncture-moxibustion practice and theory reached a new level, because he took acupuncture-moxibustion as one of the knowledge investigation and attainment of CHENG-ZHU Neo-Confucianism.

[Study on the bamboo slips of Maishu in the Han Dynasty excavated in Laoguanshan].

The bamboo slips of medicine, from No. 361 to No. 628, unearthed in Laoguanshan are of the same specification, which shall be the same one as Maishu (《》) of the Han Dynasty from Zhangjiashan in terms of the basic constitution and style. Hence, the medical slips, from No. 361 to No. 628, unearthed in Laoguanshan shall be titled as Maishu of Laoguanshan version, in which, the text on the "twelve meridians" is the combination and adaption from Yinyang Shiyi Mai Jiujiang (《》Moxibustion Therapy on the Eleven Meridians of Yin and Yang) and Zubi Shiyimai Jiujing (《》Moxibustion Therapy on the Eleven Meridians of Legs and Arms) in the slips of Maishu of the Han Dynasty from Zhangjiashan. The two chapters on "derived meridians" have compiled the names, running courses and differentiated disorders of the 12 meridians in the different eras at the early stage, and in the 9 of these 12 meridians, the prescriptions for moxibustion therapy have been attached for the treatment of the differentiated disorders, which reflexes the characteristics of mai (meridian) at different evolution stages before the formation of the concept of meridian. Regarding the descriptions on "pulse diagnostic method", two different methods are included, one is relevant with the decision of survival span, and another is with the localization of disorders.

[Study on Chinese Acup-Mox Medicine by YAO Tianmin].

The characteristics and academic thoughts of Chinese Acup-Mox Medicine written by YAO Tianmin during the Republic of China was studied and analyzed in this paper. The academic thoughts of this book were confluence of Chinese and western knowledge, respecting for classics culture but not stubborn, using western science and medicine without worshiping it. The main characteristics were the scientific meridian-acupoint theory, extensive acupoint selection, "qie" method of acupuncture, high recommendation on medicated thread and ironing moxibustion, reinforcing and reducing based on the meridian direction in infantile massage, using acupuncture and cream formula for surgical treatment, and creating his own acupuncture codes.

[Identification and re-collection of Bianque's medical works].

Whenever "Biarique's medical works" is mentioned, it means the work collection of an individual school. Through the identification and rearrangement of the fragments of Bianque's medical works from the extant literature, the three clues of the extant works have been sorted out, including Huangdi Bianque Mai Shu (Yellow Emperor and Bianque's Pulse Books) inherited by Canggong. It recreates the outline of the lost Bianque' medical works, and even displays the details of such outline to a certain extent. The main content of Bian que mai shu (Bianque's Pulse Book) collected by Canggong had been recorded in Wang Shuhe's Mai jing (The Pulse Classic), which were inherited in different forms in the extant Nei jing (Internal Classic) and a part of the content in the late editions were collected in Nan jing (Classic of Difficult Issues). Wu se mai (five-color pulse) was inherited from Mai jing (The Pulse Classic), the "Xianggong Wen Bianque" (Xianggong Catechism on Bianque) recorded in Shan fan fang (The Refined and Extracted Prescriptions) written by Xie Shitai in the Six Dynasties, the "Huangdi Wen Bianque" (Questions and Answers between Yellow Emperor and Bianque) in Qian jin yi fang (A supplement to the Essential Prescriptions worth a Thousand Gold), as well as from Ling shu: Wu se (Miraculous Pivot: Five Colors). In this paper, the notable and hot cases in the present academic field are analyzed, aiming to arouse people's attention to the methods and insights of literature research, as well as the reconsideration on the importance of the deep and solid research on the extant literatures.

[Consanguinity between meridian theory and Bianque's pulse theory].

The integral meridian theory is composed of five parts, including meridian course, syndrome, diagnostic method, treating principle and treatment, and the core of it is meridian syndrome. It has been proved by multiple evidences that the meridian syndrome induced by the pathological change in meridian and the death syndrome of pulse penetrating or attaching to the syndrome are all originated from Bianque' s facial color and pulse diagnosis. And regarding the pulse syndrome,there are many different interpretations based on the theory of yin-yang in four seasons before the Han Dynasty. The emerging of Biaoben diagnostic method in Bianque's pulse method and its extensive clinical application promote a new theoretic interpretation the connection of meridians interpreting pulse syndrome directly. Besides, along with the new development of blood-pulse theory of Bianque's medicine, the revolution on meridian theory is aroused as well its theoretical paradigm turning from "tree" type to "ring" type. In other words, Bianque's medicine not only gives birth to meridian theory, but also decides its final development.

[On mistakes in contemporary literatures of extra points in China].

Contemporary literatures which are taken as the base of literature study of extra points are insufficient and lack of reliability. The foundation of study is very weak. Based on abundant firsthand materials, analyses are made on the major problems of confounded names and locations, unclear quotation and source of reference in the study of contemporary literatures of extra points. Meanwhile, methods and way of thinking for solving the above mentioned problems are discussed in this article as well.

[Study on the title of Chongbian Yijingxiaoxue].

Chongbian Yijingxiaoxue was compiled by Jitian Zongxun in 1590 - 1610. The existing editions included a carved edition and copied edition, then came the photocopy. There was a chapter entitled 'Loujing Xuefa' which recorded 29 extrameridian points. This chapter was compiled into a verse in Volume 3 of Chongbian Yijingxiaoxue. As the book had always been confused with Yijing Xiaoxue, written by Liu Chun in the Ming Dynasty, its literature value increased and became necessary in literature research on extrameridian points. This kind of error was related to people's credulity and blindness on the authority of classical books and 'momentum of literature error'.

[False dissemination of "treatment of hemorrhoids by acupuncture of Kongzui (LU 6)" and its unfavorable influence on modern acupuncture].

"Treatment of hemorrhoids by acupuncture of Kongzui (LU 6)" has been considered to be an example of new discovery in current clinical acupuncture practice and has produced a significant influence on domestic and foreign textbooks of acupuncturology and the health care of the people. After comprehensively analyzing this known saying, it was found that the so-called "new discovery" which has been inherited for decades of years is in fact derived from incorrect dissemination, being lack of evidence of both literature and clinical practice.

[Analysis of the nominations of acupuncture and moxibustion of traditional Chinese medicine for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity].

The definition of intangible cultural heritage and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is discussed. Nominations of elements should be prepared in accordence with the Guidelines provided in each section. The explaination methods and the determining process of the Nominations for Acupuncture and Moxibustion on the Representative List are analyzed, such as the name of the element, characteristics, identification and definition, value and safeguarding measures, photos and video of the element. The Nominations should be prepared according to the Convention and Guidelines closedly and focus on discussing the cultural, the content, the communities and individuals, safeguarding measures of element.

[Editorial explanation on the state standard The Name and Location of Acupoints (2006, edition)].

To tie in with extension and application of The Name and Location of Acupoints (GB 12346-2006), the present paper introduces the difference between The Name and Location of Acupoints (GB 12346-2006) and Location of Points (GB 12346-90), and expounds the changes of standard name, body position and term of direction when locating the acupoint and stylistic rules, and introduces the revision of concrete contents which include setting of primary standard acupoints, regulation of bone-length measurement, regulation of the nomenclature of some meridians and meridian acupoints, the location of some meridian acupoints and regulation of some acupoints, some main problems which needed to be further studied are also explores.