Jiaji (EX-B2)-Based Electroacupuncture Preconditioning Attenuates Early Ischaemia Reperfusion Injury in the Rat Myocardium.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture preconditioning was able to reduce the extent of ischaemia reperfusion (I/R) injury. Previous studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) pretreatment at T4-T5 Jiaji (EX-B2) acupoints had cardioprotective effects against myocardial I/R injury. However, the molecular mechanism remains inconclusive. METHODS: Wistar rats were pretreated with electroacupuncture for 7 days at the Neiguan (PC6), T4-T5 Jiaji (EX-B2), Yanglingquan (GB34), and Quchi (LI11) acupoints, which belong to different meridians. Then, we investigated the genome-wide gene expression profiles of rats prestimulated at these acupoints after I/R injury. RESULTS: Our study revealed previously unknown cardioprotective roles of T4-T5 Jiaji (EX-B2) acupoints in the I/R progression. The extent of myocardial injury was significantly decreased in the Jiaji group compared with the I/R group. In addition, our data are among the first to link the EA preconditioning at Neiguan (PC6) acupoints and circadian rhythm in the I/R model. Also, for the first time, we explored the meridian and acupoint specificity involved in EA pretreatment at the heart meridian, in which Yanglingquan and Quchi acupoints were selected as the control group for heart-divergent-meridian and nonheart-meridian acupoints. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggested that EA pretreatment at Jiaji alters genome-wide gene expression and protects the rat myocardium against I/R injury, which are most likely through neurohumoral regulation.

Specific Correlation between the Hegu Point (LI4) and the Orofacial Part: Evidence from an fMRI Study.

Acupoint specificity is a foundational concept in acupuncture theory. It is closely related to the function of the acupoint. In this study, we sought to probe the central mechanisms of the specific correlation between LI4 and orofacial part in Bell's palsy patients. In total, 36 patients with left Bell's palsy were divided into three groups in random order, and each group received transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) at only one of three acupoints (LI4, ST6, and a sham point). A single-block fMRI design paradigm was applied to separately detect neural activity related to different stages of TEAS (prestimulation resting state, stimulation, and poststimulation resting state). Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired during TEAS. There were extensive neuronal activities in the LI4 and ST6 groups and significant differences between stimulation at real and sham points. Brain regions were activated more by real acupoint TEAS than by sham point TEAS. Brain regions that were activated with LI4 and ST6 were broadly overlapping and adjacent. Our results provide supplementary neuroimaging evidence for the existence of acupoint specificity. These results may confirm the central mechanisms of the specific correlation between the Hegu point and the orofacial part.

[Brief introduction of acupuncture needling and teaching keypoint].

We summarized our accumulated clinical and teaching experiences and explored the regularity of acupuncture needling and teaching. It is of great importance in pressing hand during inserting needle. Stroking and pressing are two crucial parts which deserve more attention, and seldom useage of pressing hand should be abolished. Operating hand needs practice before inserting needle, while it should fully relaxed during inserting. Blending "touching", "stretch" "gathering" "erupting" and "advancing" in single moment, applying appropriate dynamic mode of inserting needle such as "join 3 forces as one" "3 points in a line" expertly and naturally. In addition, enough attention should be paid on "altering direction" and "shifting point". Inserting deftly and powerfully, no/slight sensation, deqi when inserting needle are the highest reflection as an acupuncturist.

[Effects of electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B 2) on myocardial apoptosis and the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in rats with ischemia-reperfusion injury].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective mechanism of acupuncture on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS: Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a sham-operation group, a model group, a Jiaji group , a Neiguan group and a Yanglingquan group, 10 rats in each group. The model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury was duplicated by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery (LADCA) in the later four groups, and the LADCA was not ligated in the sham-operation group. The rats in the treatment groups were treated with electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B 2), "Neiguan" (PC 6) and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) on both sides, respectively, once a day for 7 days. No interventions were produced in the sham-operation group and model group. Myocardial apoptosis were examined by the TUNEL method. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were measured by immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: Apoptosis index(AI) was significantly lower in the Jiaji group, Neiguan group and sham-operation group compared with model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the sham-operation group, AI were significantly increased in other groups (all P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in AI between Jiaji and Neiguan group (P > 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly increased and Bax protein was significantly decreased in Jiaji group and Neiguan group (both P < 0.01). The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were significantly increased in other groups compared with the sham-operation group (all P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins between Jiaji and Neiguan group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture at both Jiaji (EX-B 2) and Neiguan (PC 6) has protective effects on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, and the mechanism is closely related to inhibiting myocardial apoptosis by adjusting the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax.