Comparison of physical electrical conductivity and acupuncture de-qi sensation between stainless steel needling and supercritical fluid-treated needling.

BACKGROUND: While acupuncture has been used for thousands of years, modern technology to develop new needle materials has rarely been discussed. We aim to explore a new acupuncture needle material and compare the differences in the needling sensations between the acupuncture needle surface treated with nitrogen applied supercritical fluid (SCF-N) and conventional stainless steel needles. METHODS: This was a double-blind cohort study. The acupuncture needles were randomly used in this experiment, including the SCF-N-treated needles and the control stainless steel needles. LI 4 (Hegu) and LI 11 (Quchi) acupuncture points in the Yangming Large Intestine Meridian of Hand were treated. Physical electrical resistance, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, and visual analog scale (VAS) score including the sensations of soreness, numbness, distention, and heaviness were assessed. RESULTS: The proportion of nitrogen (N) was significantly higher in the SCF-N-treated needles than in the stainless steel needles group (2.3 ± 0.2% vs 0.0 ± 0.0%, P < 0.01). The cumulative de-qi sensation score at the LI 4 Hegu acupoint (1.87 ± 1.88 vs 1.54 ± 1.62, P = 0.014), especially the sensation of soreness score (2.76 ± 2.06 vs 2.13 ± 1.85, P = 0.045), revealed statistically significant differences between both groups. SCF-N surface treatment of acupuncture needles may lower the electrical resistance more than the control stainless steel needles (24.67 ± 0.88 kW vs 26.45 ± 0.75 kW, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture needles modified with SCF-N surface treatment can enhance de-qi sensations to improve electrical conductivity of the meridian and therapeutic effects on the Yangming Large Intestine Meridian of Hand. SCF-N surface treated needles can be as a new acupuncture needle material in the future.

Management of viral oral ulcers in children using Chinese herbal medicine: A report of two cases.

OBJECTIVE: Viral oral ulcers are common presentations in pediatric clinics. Although self-limiting, painful ulcerative lesions and inflamed mucosa can decrease oral intake and lead to dehydration. Despite the widespread use of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) for pediatric upper respiratory disease in Taiwan, there is little evidence for its effectiveness as an antipyretic or in aiding ulcer healing for children with viral oral ulcers. We report two cases of children who presented with viral oral ulcers to illustrate the potential efficacy of CHM treatment in recovery from herpangina (HA) and herpetic gingivostomatitis (HGS). CLINICAL FEATURES AND OUTCOME: A 10-year-old girl with HA presented with an acute febrile illness associated with small vesicular or ulcerative lesions on the posterior oropharyngeal structures. The family refused western medicine due to a prior anaphylactic skin rash when she had taken sulfa drugs. The other patient was a 4-year-old boy with complaints of painful ulcers and hemorrhagic crusts on the lips. He was diagnosed with HGS and had received ibuprofen and supportive treatments such as hydration and local anesthesia spray for days, characterized by fever, anorexia, and nausea to no effect. Because the patients were suffering from the damp-heat syndrome according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) differentiation, both were treated using the same herbal formulas powder prescription, named Liang Ge San (LGS) and Gan Lu Xiao Du Dan (GLXDD). After several days of CHM treatment, the oral ulcers were in regression. Follow-up of the frontal view in both patients showed satisfactory disappearance of the sick furred tongue. CONCLUSIONS: The results of these case reports show that the early prescription of CHM is an effective modality of alternative treatment for viral oral ulcers. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CHM treatment hastening the recovery from febrile disease with viral oral ulcers in Taiwan. Future experimental studies to determine the definitive mechanism and clinical trials are warranted.