[Discussion on Classical Morphological View of Acupoints: Taking Book A-B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion as An Example].

After analyzing the contents of Volume Ⅲ of A-B Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, we propose a concept of classical morphological view about acupoints in terms of their superficial signs and structure in Chinese ancient times. That is to say that the ancient medical experts' understanding about acupoints contain locality, layers and variability. These 3 aspects were applied to the classification and location of acupoints, as well as to the clinical treatment in the ancient times. Furthermore, the classical view about acupoints also contains the ideas of Shou-Xing (, keeping paying attention to needling the local acupoints only in the light of the focus) and Shou-Shen (, keeping paying attention to both the related acupoints and appropriate manipulations in the light of pattern identification of symptoms and signs as well as the patients' physical constitutions) in performing acupuncture treatment. Owing to the influence of the idea of Shou-Shen, the classical view about the signs and structure of acupoints presented a weakening trend gradually in ancient Chinese medical circle.

Berberine targets epidermal growth factor receptor signaling to suppress prostate cancer proliferation in vitro.

Berberine is a well­known component of the Chinese herbal medicine Huanglian (Coptis chinensis), and is capable of inhibiting the proliferation of multiple cancer cell lines. However, information available regarding the effect of berberine on prostate cancer cell growth is limited. In the present study, LnCaP and PC­3 human prostate cancer cell lines were selected as in vitro models in order to assess the efficacy of berberine as an anticancer agent. A cell proliferation assay demonstrated that berberine inhibited cell growth in a dose­and time­dependent manner. Further investigation revealed berberine significantly accumulated inside cells that were in the G1 phase of the cell cycle and enhanced apoptosis. Western blot analysis demonstrated that berberine inhibited the expression of prostate­specific antigen and the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and it attenuated EGFR activation following EGF treatment in vitro. In conclusion, the results indicate that berberine inhibits the proliferation of prostate cancer cells through apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest by inactivation of the EGFR signaling pathway.

[Location of disease: acupoint view from the angle of clinic].

Doctor WANG Zhi-zhong in the Southern Song Dynasty proposed the acupoint view of "location of disease", which explained the connotation of acupoints from the angle of clinic. Its meaning included two levels, one level meant pathological change on the body surface, that was the location of acupuncture diagnosis-treatment, and the other one indicated that the body surface which was the reflecting point of pathological change on the distal area or inside the body was the location of acupuncture diagnosis-treatment. The specific connotations of clinical acupoints were: location of pathogenic factors or reflection of pathogenic factors, regularity between acupoints un- der disease and specific organ, morphological differences and positioning variability after acupoints under disease, and acupoints examination, diagnosis and treatment.