[Knee osteoarthritis treated with acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3)].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy difference in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis between acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3) and the conventional acupoints. METHODS: Forty four cases were random into a Neiguanc (PC 6) Taichong (LR 3) group observation group (20 cases) and a conventional group control group (24 cases). In the observention group, acupuncture was applied to Neiguan (PC 6) on the healthy side and Taichong (LR 3) on the affected side. The acupoints were selected bilaterally if both knees were affected. In the control group, acupuncture was applied to Yanglingquan (GB 34), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35), Zusanli (ST 36) and the others on the affected side. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were used for assessment of theraputic effect after treatment. RESULTS: The score of VAS and pain, stiffness and function impairment of WOMAC were lower apparently than those before treatment in both groups (all P < 0.001). VAS score after treatment in the observation group was lower apparently than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The differences in each item score of WOMAC after treatment were not significant statistically between the two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) and Taichong (LR 3) achieves the similar efficacy on knee osteoarthritis as the conventional acupoints, but the former is more simple and convenient.

[Study of the relationship between the acupoints of Zhongzhu (TE 3), Yanglingquan (GB 34) and their corresponding cortical areas with the functional MRI].

OBJECTIVE: Using the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe the distributed characteristic of excited cerebral cortical areas that induced by acupuncture-stimulating the Zhongzhu (TE 3) of the meridian of Hand-Shaoyang and Yanglingquan (GB 34) of the meridian of Foot-Shaoyang, and investigate the central neural mechanism on the effect of meridians and acupoints. METHODS: Forty-two right handed healthy volunteers were randomly divided into Zhongzhu (TE 3) group and Yanglingquan (GB 34) group. The functional cortical changes during acupuncture-stimulating the Zhongzhu (TE 3) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) were successively scanned with fMRI, and the effected areas were determined through analysing the obtained data with SPM2 software. RESULTS: The main excited areas were bilateral frontal lobes, temporal lobes, cerebellum and occipital lobes successively in Zhongzhu (TE 3) group, and bilateral occipital lobes, cerebellum, frontal lobes and temporal lobes in Yanglingquan (GB 34) group in contrast. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture-stimulating both Zhongzhu (TE 3) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) can excite bilateral acoustic, visual and somatomotor cortices, which might be the central neural basis for clinical treatment on related diseases.

[Electroacupuncture at Zhongji (CV 3) for treatment of benign hyperplasia of prostate: a multi-central randomized controlled study].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of Zhongji (CV 3) in treatment of benign hyperplasia of prostate. METHODS: Multi-central, randomized, controlled, single bland clinical method was adopted, and 276 cases were divided into an electroacupuncture (EA) group and a medication group, 138 cases in each group. The EA group were treated with EA at Zhongji (CV 3) and the medication group with oral administration of Qianliekang tablets. After treatment of 1 course, their therapeutic effects and changes of international prostate symptom (I-PSS) cumulative score, life quality index (L) cumulative score, nocturia times, urine stream state, lower abdominal symptom, maximal volume of urine flow, residual urine volume, prostatic volume, etc. Were assessed in the two groups. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 96.4% in the EA group and 86.2% in the medication group, the former being better than the latter (P<0. 01); the two groups were effective in improvement of international prostate symptom (I-PSS) cumulative score, life quality index (L) cumulative score, nocturia times, urine stream state, hypogastrium symptom, maximal volume of urine flow, residual urine volume, prostatic volume, etc. with the former better than the latter. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture at Zhongji (CV 3) has a significant therapeutic effect for treatment of benign hyperplasia of prostate.