Discussion on clinical application of "touching-bone" acupuncture technique / 中国针灸

The value of the "touching-bone" acupuncture technique in clinical application was explained through the investigation on the origin of the theory of the "touching-bone" acupuncture technique, the analysis on the characteristics of acupoint selection, the introduction of clinical characteristics and the discussion on the mechanism of acupuncture in treatment. The "touching-bone" acupuncture technique refers to deep needling method, originated from the short needling and needling of the ancient needling methodslisted in the . The target points are the reaction sites on meridian near to bone and the attachments of soft tissues on bone. During the needle insertion, the needle tip is thrust deeply to the bone or the needle body is closely attached to the bone so as to stimulate periosteum specifically. This needling technique contributes to the satisfactory effect on spasmodic, deep-located and intractable pain disorder, motor system diseases, mental diseases and cerebral diseases, etc. Hence, this acupuncture technique deserves to be promoted in clinical application and explored in research.

Effect of piperine on 5-HT and synaptophysin expression of rats with irritable bowel syndrome / 药学学报

This study is to explore the amelioration of piperine on chronic acute combining stress rat with depression-like behavior, visceral sensitivity, and its effect on the expression of serotonin (5-HT) and synaptophysin. Forty two SD rats were divided into seven groups: blank group, model group, piperine (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mgkg-1, ig) and imipramine (10 mgkg-1, ip) groups. The rat model of irritable bowel syndrome was established by chronic acute combining stress, and then to evaluate depression-like behavior and visceral sensitivity. The expressions of 5-HT and synaptophysin in the hippocampus and colon were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Western blotting, respectively. The duration of immobility of IBS rat in the forced swimming test had been significantly increased, the sucrose consumption of IBS rat had been reduced and visceral sensitivity was obviously elevated in the IBS model group as compared with those in the normal control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). As compared with those in the normal control group, the expression of 5-HT significantly decreased, 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio significantly increased in the hippocampus of IBS model group (P<0.05), but opposite presentations were noted in the colon (P<0.05). As compared with that in the normal control group, the synaptophysin expression in the hippocampus decreased significantly but obviously increased in the colon (P<0.05). Piperine improved the behavior of IBS rats, and reversed the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA, and 5-HIAA/5-HT proportion in the hippocampus and colon (P<0.05); besides, they significantly reverse the synaptophysin level in the hippocampus and colon (P<0.05). The presence of depression and visceral sensitivity had been changed in IBS rats, with abnormal expression of 5-HT and synaptophysin in the brain-gut system. Piperine can ameliorate the changes of the behavior and regulation of serotonin and synaptophysin expression in IBS rat model.

Effect of needling "Housanli" (ST 36) with different retaining-needle time on the pain threshold of mice using the hot water tail-flick test / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of needling "Housanli" (ST 36) with different retaining-needle time on the pain threshold of mice using the hot water tail-flick test, and investigate the relationship between the retaining-needle time and the therapeutic effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-four healthy mice were randomly divided into four groups: no retaining-needle group (group A), retaining-needle 10 min group (group B), retaining-needle 20 min group (group C) and retaining-needle 30 min group (group D), with 6 mice for each group. After acupuncture "Housanli", the tail of mouse was put into the hot water at 50 degrees C, and the intervening time from the tail entered water to the tail flicked out of water was recorded and analyzed for each group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After acupuncturing "Housanli", the pain threshold was significantly improved with the hot water tail-flick test in both group A and group C (both P<0.01), however, there was no significant difference in both group B and group D (both P>0.05). Within 30 min of retaining-needle, the effect curve of acupuncture analgesia was showed in a waved line. In contrast, the maximum value of latent period on the tail-flick was detected in the group C that was the biggest effect of acupuncture analgesia among the four groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The best retaining-needle time of hand-acupuncture for acupuncture analgesia is 20 min.</p>