RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To observe the anatomic structure of the Five Shu-acupoints: "Shaoze" (SI 1) ,"Qiangu" (SI 2), "Houxi" (SI 3),"Yanggu" (SI 5) and "Xiaohai" (SI 8) regions of the Taiyang Meridian in the rabbit's forelimb. METHODS: Thirty rabbits (half male and half female) were used in the present study. The Five Shu-acupoints regions were located first based on the atlas of rabbits, stimulated by needling and confirmed later by using an electronic acupoint detector. Under anesthesia, the rabbit was perfused with warm normal saline via the common carotid artery and the internal jugular vein, followed by arterial perfusion of dental base acrylic resin powder(30 g), dibutylphthalate(6 mL), red couring agent liquid for denture acrylic and acetoacetate (2 mL), respectively; and venous perfusion of 30% gelatin (filtered) and black ink (filtered) and formaldehyde (8%). After fixing in 8% formaldehyde for 10 days, the rabbit's forelimb containing the aforementioned Five Shu-acupoints were carefully dissected layer by layer, followed by observing the local anatomic structure under microscope. RESULTS: The superficial layers of these acupoint regions mainly contained the basilic vein and its branches, and the superficial branch of the ulnar nerve. The deep layers chiefly comprised of the ulnar artery, the ulnar vein and their branches, and the ulnar nerve. CONCLUSION: In "Shaoze"(SI 1 ), "Qiangu" (SI 2), "Houxi" (SI 3), "Yanggu" (SI 5) and "Xiaohai" (SI 8) acupoint regions, the ulnar artery, basilic vein, ulnar vein and their branches, the ulnar nerve and its superficial branches are found, which constitute the morphological basis of the five acupoints of the Hand-Taiyang Meridian for treating some related clinical disorders.