[Influence of acupuncture or thermal acupuncture stimulation at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on thoracic duct lymph volume and the relevant chemical substances in normal rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes of thoracic duct lymph volume and the contents of histamine (HA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), etc. in the lymph after acupuncture or thermal acupuncture interventions, in order to investigate the effect of lymphatic system in transmitting acupuncture and moxibustion signals. METHODS: A total of 45 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group, acupuncture group, and thermal acupuncture (acupuncture with the needle warmed by burning moxa) group (n = 15/group). The rat thoracic duct lymphatic fistula model was replicated. Acupuncture or thermal acupuncture was applied to "Zusanli" (ST 36), and the changes of thoracic duct lymph volume and the concentrations of HA, 5-HT in the lymph were observed. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the thoracic duct lymph volume in acupuncture group and thermal acupuncture group were obviously increased (P < 0.05), while the concentrations of lymph HA and 5-HT in both acupuncture and thermal acupuncture groups had no significant changes (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both acupuncture and thermal acupuncture interventions can increase the thoracic duct lymph volume, but have no effects on lymph HA and 5-HT contents in normal rats.

Age-related changes of elements in human thoracic ducts and azygos veins and relationships among elements.

To elucidate compositional changes of the thoracic duct with aging, the authors investigated age-related changes of elements in the thoracic ducts in comparison with the azygos veins. The subjects consisted of 22 men and 1 woman, ranging in age from 65 to 95 yr. After ordinary dissection, the thoracic ducts and azygos veins were resected from the subjects and element contents were determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. It was found that calcium appeared to increase in the thoracic duct with aging, but the other elements, such as phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium, iron, zinc, and sodium, did not change significantly with aging. In the azygos vein, both calcium and sulfur increased significantly with aging. Regarding the relationship among elements, extremely significant direct correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, and magnesium in the thoracic ducts, except for phosphorus and magnesium contents with a very significant direct correlation. In the azygos veins, significant direct correlations were found between calcium and sulfur contents and between sulfur and magnesium contents. However, no significant correlations were found among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the azygos veins. These results revealed that with regard to the relationship among calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, the thoracic duct was similar to the arteries, but not to the azygos vein.