Acupuntura: motivações de médicos para a procura de especialização / Physicians' reasons for specializing in acupuncture

Este estudo quanti-qualitativo objetivou identificar concepções sobre Medicina Convencional e Acu puntura que contribuem para entender os motivos que levam médicos a procurarem conhecer ou se especializar em Acupuntura. Foram pesquisados 175 médicos do Curso de Desenvolvimento em Me dicina Chinesa − Acupuntura, do Center-AO − Centro de Pesquisa e Estudo da Medicina Chinesa e Universidade Federal de São Paulo − Escola Paulista de Medicina (Unifesp - EPM), com questio nário composto por perguntas abertas e fechadas. Os dados obtidos foram analisados estatisticamente, e as respostas foram analisadas com a técnica de análise de conteúdo, buscando desvelar unidades de significado. A partir disso, foram estabelecidas categorias gerais e específicas, que passaram a dar significado aos discursos. Dessa forma, foram obtidos três grupos categoriais: "aprimoramento profis sional", "ampliar seu próprio horizonte de vida" e "compreender o paciente em uma dimensão mais abrangente". Nossos dados revelaram que os médicos desejam exercer a Acupuntura de forma inte grada à Medicina Convencional, no bojo da qual a Acupuntura vem se firmando como especialidade médica.

This aim of this quantitative and qualitative study was to identify concepts of conventional medicine and acupuncture that contribute to the understanding of motives leading physicians to learn about or specialize in acupuncture. We interviewed 175 physicians from the Course in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture administered by the Research Center on Chinese Medicine at the School of Medicine of the Federal University in São Paulo (UNIFESP/EPM), using questionnaires consisting of open and closed questions. The resulting data were submitted to statistical analysis, and the answers were analyzed using the content analysis technique, seeking to unveil units of meaning. This process ena bled establishing general and specific categories that lent meaning to the discourses. Three categorical groups were obtained: "professional enhancement", "expanding one's life horizons", and "understan ding the patient in a more comprehensive dimension". Our data also showed that physicians wish to integrate acupuncture with their practice of conventional medicine, within which acupuncture has been consolidated as a medical specialty.

Electroacupuncture inhibits ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization and alters homer1A mRNA expression in mice.

BACKGROUND: Here we investigated the effects of electroacupuncture over locomotor sensitization induced by ethanol in mice. METHODS: Adult male Swiss mice were daily injected with ethanol (2 g/kg, i.p.) or saline for 21 days (acquisition phase). After 4 days of withdrawal, all animals were challenged with ethanol (1.4 g/kg, i.p.). The locomotor activity during 30 minutes was accessed just after the ethanol challenge. Electroacupuncture at acquisition, expression, or maintenance phases of locomotor sensitization was provided over ST-36 (Zusanli) or PC-6 (Neiguan) as well as concomitantly over these 2 acupoints. One hour after the challenge with ethanol, the animals were decapitated, the hippocampus, striatum, and prefrontal cortex were dissected, and the expression of homer1A mRNA assessed by PCR. RESULTS: Electroacupuncture provided simultaneously over ST-36 and PC-6 (but not to ST-36 or PC-6 alone) inhibited the acquisition, expression, and maintenance of ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization. In addition, electroacupuncture blocked the diminution of homer1A mRNA expression triggered by ethanol in the acquisition (striatum and prefrontal cortex), expression (hippocampus), and in the maintenance (hippocampus and prefrontal cortex) phases. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture provided concomitantly over ST-36 and PC-6 prevents the sensitization of the mesocorticolimbic pathway induced by ethanol in mice. In addition, these effects were accompanied by changes in the expression of homer1A. We suggest that electroacupuncture effects over ethanol-induced locomotor sensitization are associated to its ability to modulate homer1A expression and glutamatergic plasticity.

Acupuncture reduces immune-mediated pulmonary inflammatory lesions induced in rats.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this report was to experimen-tally demonstrate the biological actions of acupuncture in an animal model of immune-mediated inflammation associated with a deposition of collagen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats were sensitized by a subcu-taneous implant of heat-solidified hen egg-white and divided into 4 groups: acupuncture, sham acupuncture, immobilized, and control. Acupuncture was initiated the day after sensitization and repeated twice a week for 3 weeks. The dorsal acupoints chosen were GV-14 and BL-13, the ventral acupuncture points were LU-1, CV-17, ST-36 and SP-6. The dorsal points were stimulated manually and the ventral ones by electroacupuncture. On day 14, animals were challenged through the tail vein with Sepharose(R)beads coupled with ovalbumin. One week later, animals were bled, plasma corticoster-one concentrations were measured and the lungs were removed for histological evaluation. RESULTS: Measurement of the areas of pulmonary lesion on hematoxylin-eosin stained slides showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the inflammatory infiltrate in the acupuncture group, compared to the other 3 groups. Utilization of Litt and Picrosirius staining methods, in order to better visualize the infiltrate of eosinophils and the deposition of collagen, respectively, showed that both were much less intense in the acupuncture group. Corticosterone plasma levels were similar in all groups. CONCLUSION: Point-specific acupuncture treatment effectively reduced the inflammatory process and the deposition of collagen around ovalbumin-Sepharose beads intravenously embolized to the lungs of rats previously sensitized with the same protein that was administered subcutaneously.

Effect of eletroacupuncture on DU-14 (Dazhui), DU-2 (Yaoshu), and Liv-13 (Zhangmen) on the survival of Wistar rats' dorsal skin flaps.

The survival of skin flaps has great interest in many areas of Medicine. In practice, one of the most important complications in the use of skin flaps is the tissue ischemia, which frequently results in widespread necrosis and failure of the proposed treatments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible benefits of eletroacupuncture stimulation of the points DU-14 (Dazhui), DU-2 (Yaoshu), and Liv-13 (Zhangmen) over the skin flap survival of Wistar rats after 8 days of treatment. Forty male Wistar rats were allocated into four groups with 10 animals each. They were submitted to a surgical procedure in which a dorsal skin flap measuring 10 x 4 cm was elevated and then sutured back with a plastic barrier between the flap and the donor site. During the following 8 days, one group received electro stimulation in two "nonaccupoints" whereas the other one had the accupoints DU-14 (Dazhui), DU-2 (Yaoshu), and Liv-13 (Zhangmen) stimulated. After this period, the rats were killed and flaps were appraised qualitative and quantitatively. Data were evaluated with analysis of variance and to establish significance Fisher's PLSD test was used when analysis of variance showed P < .05. It was observed that electroacupuncture group presented a skin flap survival index remarkably larger than the others. It has also shown a better evolution during the 8 days PO, confirmed by the lowest rate of necrosis and absent area. In this experimental model, eletroacupuncture was an efficient method to preserve vitality and decrease dorsal skin flap necrosis on Wistar rats.

Antidepressive-like effects of electroacupuncture in rats.

Here, we investigate the effects of electroacupunture on the depressive-like symptoms in learned helplessness and forced swim tests in rats. Electroacupuncture stimulation (EA) was provided at ST-36 (Zusanli) and SP-6 (Sanyinjiao) acupoints. A positive control group was treated with imipramine. To verify the effects of EA over serotonergic system, other additional groups received daily, for three days, p-chlorophenylalanine and after two days, were submitted to behavioral tests. EA, like imipramine, enhanced the successful active avoidance in the learned helplessness and diminished the time spent in immobility position in the forced swim test, without affecting the number of squares crossed in the open field test. The administration of p-chlorophenylalanine abolished the antidepressive-like effect of EA. EA generates a clear antidepressant effect in two different animal models of depression, and this effect is related, at least in part, to the serotonergic system.

Treatment of moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome with acupuncture: a randomised, placebo-controlled pilot trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), assessed by polysomnography (PSG) and questionnaires of functional quality of life (SF-36) and excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a randomised, placebo-controlled, single-blinded study, with blinded evaluation on 36 patients presenting an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) of 15-30/h, assessed by PSG. The study took place at the Public Hospital of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil, in the Division of Sleep Disorders of the Department of Psychobiology, between January, 2002 and August, 2004. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups: the acupuncture group (n=12); the sham group, submitted to needle insertion in non-acupoints (n=12); and the control group, receiving no treatment (n=12). Patients received acupuncture or sham acupuncture once a week for 10 weeks. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients completed the study. The AHI (P=0.005), the apnea index (AI) (P=0.008) and the number of respiratory events (P=0.005) decreased significantly in the acupuncture group but not in the sham group. On the other hand, the control group displayed significant deterioration in some of the polysomnographic parameters, with a significant increase in the number of respiratory events (P=0.025). Acupuncture treatment significantly improved (before vs. after treatment) several dimensions of the SF-36 and Epworth questionnaires. There was no significant association between changes in the body mass index (BMI) and AHI. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture in ameliorating the respiratory events of patients presenting with moderate OSAS.

Effect of electroacupuncture on bronchial asthma induced by ovalbumin in rats.

INTRODUCTION: Asthma is a worldwide disabling chronic inflammatory airway disease characterized by an intense eosinophilic inflammatory infiltrate on bronchial mucous membranes. Among the complementary therapeutic approaches to asthma, acupuncture has been widely used. OBJECTIVE: Here we used a rat pulmonary hypersensitivity experimental model that mimics human asthma in order to address whether electroacupuncture (EA) treatment could reduce the inflammatory process. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Experimental animals were divided in four groups: control (C), immobilized (I), sham-acupuncture (SA), and acupuncture (A). All rats were sensitized with heat-solidified hen egg white implant. Using clinical acupuncture points, EA treatment began 2 days after antigen priming and was repeated on alternate days for 2 weeks. Subsequently, animals were challenged by inhalation with aggregated ovalbumin and sacrificed 24 hours later when blood samples, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and lungs were collected. RESULTS: Histopathologic analyses showed that peribronchial and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltrates were significantly lower in group A compared to groups SA and I (shown to be similar to group C). Furthermore, BAL total cell count and percentage of polymorphonuclears (as well as the differential counts of neutrophils and eosinophils) were significantly reduced in group A compared to group I. Corsticosterone plasma levels were similar in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together these results show that EA efficiently diminishes the bronchial immune-mediated inflammation induced in rats and that this effect is dependent on the choice of specific acupoints.

Effect of moxibustion at acupoints Ren-12 (Zhongwan), St-25 (Tianshu), and St-36 (Zuzanli) in the prevention of gastric lesions induced by indomethacin in Wistar rats.

This study was aimed at assessing the physical characteristics underlying the action of moxibustion at acupoints Ren-12 (Zhongwan), St-25 (Tianshu), and St-36 (Zuzanli) in preventing acute injuries of the gastric mucous membrane induced by indomethacin in Wistar rats. Induction of gastric lesions, by means of intragastric administration of indomethacin (100 mg/kg), in adult male Wistar rats was followed by treatment with moxibustion using Artemisia vulgaris dried leaves at 60 or 45 degrees C, heating with Artemisia vulgaris charcoal at 50 degrees C, heating with a regular tobacco cigar at 50 degrees C, and heating with a regular water pad at 50 degrees C, The effects of the different heating protocols over the gastric lesions were then compared. In addition, another group of animals was pretreated with capsaicin (100 mg/kg, s.c.), in order to lesion C fibers and, 15 days later, subjected to indomethacin administration and moxibustion treatment. Moxibustion was significantly more efficient at 60 degrees C than at 45 degrees C in preventing gastric lesions triggered by indomethacin. Moxibustion applied in acupoints provided a significant reduction of the lesion area, which was two times less than that of animals stimulated in a nonacupoint (sham group). Comparing the therapeutic effects provided by different forms of heating over the gastric lesions, the burning of dry leaves of Artemisia vulgaris was significantly more efficient in preventing gastric lesions than moxibustion made with Artemisia charcoal or tobacco (cigar) or by heating the animal with a water pad. Desensitization of the afferent sensory C fibers by capsaicin significantly diminished the ability of moxibustion to block the lesions in the gastric mucous membrane. Moxibustion can efficiently prevent indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in rats and this effect is dependent on the temperature, the material used for moxibustion, the use of acupuncture points, and the integrity of C fibers.

Acupuntura no Currículo Médico: Visão de Estudantes de Graduação em Medicina / Acupuncture in the Medical School Curriculum from Undergraduated Medical Students Perspective

Resumo: Sendo o aluno de graduação em Medicina pertencente a uma sociedade que valoriza a prática médica tecnológica e especializada, que pode afastar o médico de uma visão humanizada do paciente, este trabalho objetivou caracterizar os discursos sobre formação e prática médica dos estudantes de Medicina que frequentaram cursos curriculares e extracurriculares de Acupuntura na Unifesp-EPM, assim como idenflficar visões desses alunos sobre o ensino de Acupuntura na graduação médica. A pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, foi realizada entrevistando-se em profundidade 12 estudantes do curso de graduação em Medicina da Unifesp-EPM que tiveram aulas de Acupuntura na universidade, a partir de um roteiro temático. As entrevistas foram interpretadas com a técnica de análise de conteúdo, buscando desvelar unidades de significado que foram analisadas a partir de uma perspectiva socioantropológica da Medicina. Na visão dos alunos, Acupuntura e medicina convencional são uma só Medicina, com diferentes abordagens do paciente, sendo a visão holística do doente um pressuposto da medicina chinesa motivador para os nossos sujeitos procurarem e valorizarem o ensino de Acupuntura no currículo médico.

Abstract: Since medical students belong to a society that values specialized and technological medical practice, sometimes shifting physicians away from a more humamstic interpretation of patients, the purpose of this study was to characterize the discourse of undergraduate medical students who had attended curricular and extra-curricular Acupuncture courses at Unifesp-EPM, as well as to identify their perspectives toward Acupuncture education in undergraduate medical studies. The qualitative research included in-depth interviews with twelve medicine students at the Unifesp-EPM using a thematic script. The interviews were interpreted using the content analysis research technique, aiming to reveal significant unit, that were analyzed according to a social-anthropological view of Medicine. From the student's point of view, Acupuncture and Conventional Medicine merely comprise one single field of Medicine, corresponding to different approaches to the patient, with Acupuncture taking a more holistic approach, thus motivating them to attend Acupuncture classes.

Serotonin involvement in the electroacupuncture- and moxibustion-induced gastric emptying in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Electroacupuncture (EA) as well as moxibustion stimulation has been reported to produce an excitatory effect on the gastrointestinal motility of the rat. Serotonergic neurons of the mioenteric and submucous plexus are major participants in the gastrointestinal physiology. Here, we compared the outcomes of the stimulation of a specific set of acupoints with either acupuncture or moxibustion on the gastrointestinal motility and the role of serotonin (5-HT) in this effect. METHODS: To analyze the role of 5-HT on the gastrointestinal motility of the rat, we studied the flow of 25 glass beads administered to the stomach, after treatment of the animals with a serotonin inhibitor (para-chlorophenylalanine [pCPA]). Acupuncture stimulation was performed on acupoints St-36 (Zusanli) and Sp-6 (Sanyinjiao), with electrical stimulation, or on acupoints Ren-10 (Xiawan), Ren-12 (Zhongwan) and St-25 (Tianshu), with moxibustion. Animals subjected to sham stimulation were used as controls in addition to naive, unstimulated animals. RESULTS: Stimulation of the hind limb (St-36 and Sp-6) and abdominal (Ren-10, Ren-12, St-25) acupoints resulted in effective gastric emptying, as compared with sham-stimulated animals. Pretreatment of animals with pCPA abolished either the response provided by acupuncture stimulation in animal groups subjected to hind limb acupoints or the response provided by moxibustion stimulation in abdominal acupoints. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that moxibustion in the abdominal points and EA in the hind limb require an intact serotonergic pathway. In addition, we suggest that this involvement of serotonin is a general feature of the mediated effects of acupuncture on gastric emptying of the rat.

A comparative study of the effects of electroacupuncture and moxibustion in the gastrointestinal motility of the rat.

We compared the outcomes of the stimulation of specific sets of acupoints with either acupuncture or moxibustion over peristalsis. Twenty-five plastic beads were orally administered in the stomach of the rats and 90 min later animals were sacrificed, the stomach and small intestine were opened, and the number of beads remaining in each segment was counted. Forty rats were immobilized for 20 min and stimulated at either abdominal or hindlimbs acupoints, with either electroacupuncture or moxibustion. Under this restraint (stress) condition electroacupuncture at hindlimb points or moxibustion at abdominal points significantly enhanced gastric emptying (P < 0.02) as well as intestinal motility compared with animals subjected only to immobilization and not stimulated with electroacupuncture or moxibustion. We conclude that the effects of different acupoints and modes of stimulation (electrical vs. moxibustion) over gastrointestinal motility in rats subjected to restraint-induced stress is not uniform and discuss the different neural pathways underlying these differences.

Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities.

AIM: To evaluate the effect of Chinese Traditional Medicine, acupuncture and moxa treatment, on the semen quality in patients with semen abnormalities. METHODS: In a prospective, controlled and blind study, nineteen patients, aged 24 years approximately 42 years and married for 3 years approximately 11 years without children with semen abnormalities in concentration, morphology and/or progressive motility without apparent cause, were randomized into two groups and submitted to acupuncture and moxa treatment at the therapeutic (Study Group) and the indifferent points (Control Group), respectively, for 10 weeks. Semen analyses were performed before and after the treatment course. RESULTS: The patients of the Study Group presented a significant increase in the percentage of normal-form sperm compared to the Control Group (calculated U=16.0, critical U=17.0). CONCLUSION: The Chinese Traditional Medicine acupuncture and moxa techniques significantly increase the percentage of normal-form sperm in infertile patients with oligoastenoteratozoospermia without apparent cause.

Canais distintos e o pronto-atendimento em acupuntura / Distinct channels and the acupuncture pain urgency service

Introdução: Pouco se conhecia sobre a fisiopatologia dos Canais Distintos que, junto com outros tipos de Canais, são importantes na manutenção da homeostasia Energética. Recentemente, surgiu uma nova concepção sobre a fisiopatologia dos Canais Distintos, na qual os estados psico-afetivos estão relacionados com o surgimento de várias patologias, inclusive dores. Objetivo: delinear um perfil de resultados em pacientes com dor e alterações emocionais que procuram espontanemnete o pronto-atendimento e encaminhados ao Serviço de Pronto-Atendimento de acupuntura, nos quais foram usados os Canais Distintos. Método: avaliados 997 pacientes com algia associada a alterações emocionais, em regime de livre procura pelo pronto-atendimento em Acupuntura, nos quais foram usados os Canais Distintos. O quadro álgico foi analisado quanto à intensidade

Efeito da eletroacupuntura nos pontos E-36 (Zusanli) e BP-6 (Sanyinjiao), E-40 (Fenglong) e R-7 (Fuliu) sobre a resposta inflamatória aguda na pata de ratos injetados com carragenina / Effect of eletroacupuncture in points E-36 (Zusanli) and BP-6 (Sanyinjiao), E-40 (Fenglong) and R-7 (Fuliu) on the acute anti-inflammatory response in paw of rats injected with carrageenin

A finalidade deste trabalho foi verificar se a eletroacupuntura (EA) nos pontos E-36 (Zusanli) e BP-6 (Sanyinjiao) ou E-40 (Fenglong) e R-7 (Fuliu) promovia efeito antiinflamatório sobre o edema de pata, em ratos injetados com carragenina, e a participação da corticosterona nesse efeito. Material e Métodos - Ratos machos Wistar (200-250g) foram divididos em quatro grupos: Controle, Imobilizado, Não Ponto e Ponto. O trabalho foi realizado em duas etapas, sendo que na 1a o grupo Ponto recebia EA nos pontos E-40 (Fenglong) e R-7 (Fuliu) e na 2a etapa recebia EA nos pontos E-36 (Zusanli) e BP-6 (Sanyinjiao). Os Não Pontos eram localizados 1 cm bilateralmente aos pontos de acupuntura. Após leve anestesia com pentobarbital sódico, os animais eram imobilizados, com exceção do grupo Controle. Todos os animais recebiam injeção subplantar com 0,1mg de carragenina e os grupos Ponto e Não Ponto recebiam EA (1mV, 50Hz, 20min). O volume da pata era determinado antes e três horas após a carragenina, em pletismômetro. No final do experimento amostras sangüíneas eram coletadas, por decapitação, para determinação da corticosterona. Resultados - A EA tanto nos pontos E-40 (Fenglong)/R-7 (Fuliu) como nos pontos E-36 (Zusanli)/BP-6 (Sanyinjiao) produziu efeito antiinflamatório inespecífico. A concentração de corticosterona não foi diferente entre os quatro grupos, quando E-36 (Zusanli) e BP-6 (Sanyinjiao) eram estimulados. Conclusões - Este trabalho mostra que uma única aplicação de EA nos pontos E-40 (Fenglong)/R-7 (Fuliu) ou E-36 (Zusanli)/BP-6 (Sanyinjiao) produz efeito antiinflamatório no modelo do edema de pata de rato induzido por carragenina e evidencia que este efeito não é devido a elevação de costicosterona.

Efeito do ponto de acupuntura E-37 (shangjuxu) no tratamento de ombro doloroso / Effect of acupunture point E-37 (Shangjuxu) in the treatment of paintful sholder

A periartrite é uma inflamação crônica da cápsula sinovial e tecidos periarticulares, causando dor que dificulta os movimentos. A etiologia não está bem esclarecida. Os tratamentos incluem: fisioterapia, bloqueio de nervo, infiltração intra-articular e acupuntura. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o efeito do ponto E-37 (Shangjuxu) sobre o ombro afetado. A pesquisa foi realizada com dez pacientes (idades variando entre 45 e 60 anos), submetidos à Acupuntura do ponto E-37 (Shangjuxu) por dez aplicações de 20 minutos. Foram avaliados três movimentos (A, B e C) antes e depois de cada aplicação. Movimento A: rotaçâo interna do membro afetado, adução, flexão do antebraço alcançando 0 ombro oposto. Movimento B: abdução com rotação externa do membro superior, flexão do antebraço sobre a cabeça, alcançando a orelha oposta. Movimento C: rotação interna do membro afetado, flexão do antebraço com polegar totalmente abduzido e os dedos fletidos alcançando o processo espinhoso. A avaliação da amplitude dos movimentos após as dez aplicações revelou diferenças significantes entre o pré e o pós-tratamento para os trés movimentos, de acordo com os testes de Friedman ANOVA e Wilcoxon. Pelo teste de McNemar, os movimentos A e B mostraram melhora significante, enquanto o movimento C mostrou melhora parcial após cinco semanas de tratamento. Por outro lado, o teste de Wilcoxon mostrou que o movimento C teve a melhora mais significante dentre as avaliações.

Efeito dos pontos de acupuntura VC-22 (Tiantu) e VC-23 (Linquan) na hipossalivaçäo induzida por atropina em ratos wistar / Effect of acupoints VC-22 (Tiantu) and VC-23 (Linquan) in hyposalivation induced by atropine in wistar rats

Este estudo tem por finalidade verificar o efeito da Acupuntura sobre a hipossalivação em ratos Wistar obtida com o uso da atropina. Material e Método - 24 ratos Wistar, machos, de 200 a 250g, foram divididos em quatro grupos: grupo Acupuntura, em que os animais receberam atropina e eletroacupuntura nos pontos de acupuntura VC-22 (Tiantu) e VC-23 (Linquan); grupo SHAM, em que os animais receberam a mesma quantidade de atropina, porém a eletroacupuntura em um não-ponto de acupuntura na região clavicular média, bilateralmente; grupo Atropina, em que os animais receberam apenas atropina e grupo Controle, em que os animais não receberam nem atropina nem eletroacupuntura. A salivação foi medida embebendo-se pequenas bolinhas de algodão na saliva da boca do rato e pesadas em balança de precisão. Foram realizadas sete medições de cinco em cinco minutos. Resultados - Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos à análise estatística por One Way RM ANOVA, considerando-se significantes os valores de p < 0,05. Comparando-se os três grupos em cada medição, foram encontradas diferenças significantes na primeira medição, sendo que a salivação do grupo Acupuntura foi significantemente maior que todas as demais, que a do grupo Controle foi significantemente maior que a dos grupos Atropina e Sham e que a dos grupos Atropina e Sham não apresentou diferença significante; e na quarta medição, foi observado que tanto no grupo Acupuntura quanto no grupo Controle foi significantemente maior que a dos demais, mas que não houve significância nem entre os dois, nem entre os grupos Atropina e Sham. Comparando-se a primeira e a quarta medição do grupo Acupuntura com as demais medições do Sham, Atropina e Controle, observou-se que a primeira medição foi significantemente maior que todas as medidas dos grupos Sham e Atropina. Conclusão - A eletroestimulação dos pontos VC-22 (Tiantu) e VC-23 (Linquan) mostrou-se eficiente no tratamento da hipossalivação induzida por atropina em ratos Wistar, assim como em promover o aumento de salivação.