ABSTRACT
To analyze the curative effects of moxibustion for rat diabetic hepatic injuries caused by the administration ofsteptozotocin (STZ), the authors designed ultrastructural studies using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and image processing.<BR>Wistar male rats (44 animals) were divided into 4 groups. The first group (10 animals) was used as the control. The second group (14 animals) was a diabetic group injected I.P. with 50 mg/kg BW of STZ on the first experimental day. The third and fourth groups (10 animals each) were the curative groups, which were given moxibustion treatments of 5 half-rice grains of moxa, three times a week following STZ administration. Used acupoints were Tian Men (3rd group) and Tian Ping (4th group) according to the animal acupoint chart.<BR>First, light and electron microscopices were used to observe, the hepatic parenchymal cells, and light and electron micrographs were obtained. The electron micrographs were used to analyze the distribution of glycogen granules including its glycogen areas, fat droplets and autophagic vacuoles using an image processing method.<BR>The results were as follows : Normal control hepatocytes contained moderate volumes of glycogen areas and glycogen granules, but a few hepatocytes were without fat droplets or autophagic vacuoles. On the other hand, thehepatocytes, that had been treated with only STZ, were injured, and contained a number of fat droplets andautophagic vacuoles, but glycogen areas and glycogen granules had decreased. The hepatocytes of the rats treatedwith both STZ and moxibustion recovered to their normal state, suggesting that moxibustion treatment had curativeeffects for the rat hepatic dabetic injuries caused by the administration of STZ.
ABSTRACT
At the Ambulatory Clinic for Collagen Disease and Rheumatism, the Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagoya City University Hospital, acupuncture was performed on 8 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome who satisfied all of the following requirements: (1) cases which satisfied the diagnostic criteria established by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), USA and the Ministry of Health and Welfare Study Group, Japan; (2) cases which could be followed for long periods, (3) patients who gave informed consent to acupuncture, and (4) cases which were resistant to conventional drug therapies. Severe fatigue, which is the major symptom of this syndrome, was reduced markedly by acupuncture. Accompanying physical symptoms were also reduced in some cases. Immunologically, the percentages of gamma- and delta-T cells in peripheral blood, which had been lower than normal before treatment, improved significantly after acupuncture.<br>These results suggest that acupuncture provides a useful means of treating chronic fatigue syndrome which has conventionally been treated using drugs alone.
ABSTRACT
Human skin sections of the Goukoku (LI·4)-corresponding area and its surroudings were collected and they were stained with H. E. dyes. Abundant nerve fibers and blood vessels were observed in the Goukoku (LI·4)-corresponding area, while their numbers were slightly decreased in the non-acupoint area on the meridian. Their numbers in the extra-meridian non-acupoint area were the lowest.<br>Substance P-containing nerve fibers were examined by histochemistry in the same areas, and many of them were observed in the Goukoku (LI·4)-corresponding area. And further more, they were closely associated with lymphatic vessels. These findings suggest the mechanism that Substance-P secreted by the stimulation of acupoint, is transported to the lymph node via lymphatic vessels, thus leading the stimulation of the lymphatic system.<br>Lymphatic vessels with abundant smooth muscles were predominantly noted in the Goukoku (LI·4)-corresponding area and scarcely in the non-acupoint area by fluorescent stain. This finding suggests that hypersensitive one may feel the contraction of lymphatic smooth muscle induced by the Substance-P as a phenomenon of propagated sensations along the meridians (PSM).
ABSTRACT
Recently it is well known that human immune system is regulated by various other biological response systems; endocrine and nervous system. We have investigated the effect of electric acupuncture on human immune system for several years. Those studies suggest that electric acupuncture affects human immune system via neuro-immune system. In the present study we investigated the effect of endorphin on human peripheral lymphocytes.<br>At the present concentration of endorphin and naloxone there were no effect on viability of lymphocytes. <sup>3</sup>H-thymidine up take of unstimulated lymphocytes were suppressed by a appropriate concentration of endorphin or naloxone. The mitogenic responsiveness of peripheral lymphocytes was suppressed at usual concentration of naloxone and higher concentration of endorphin.<br>In these data suggested that both of intrisic and extrinsic endorphin regulated human lymphocyte responsiveness.
ABSTRACT
We investgated the effect of electric acupuncture on peripheral T lymphocyte subset from normal individuals, analysed by laser flow cytometric system with monoclonal antibodies for human T lymphocyte subset.<br>OKT3<sup>+</sup> cells (peripheral T cells) and OKT4<sup>+</sup> cells (helper/inducer cells) did not show any changes after electric acupuncture. OKT8<sup>+</sup> cells (suprressor/cytotoxic T cells), however, OKT11<sup>+</sup> cells (E rosette positive T cells) and Leu7<sup>+</sup> cells (natural killer cells) increased and Leu11<sup>+</sup> cells (another population of natural killer cells) decreased after electric acupuncture.<br>These changes of peripheral T lymphocyte subsets would suggest that electric acupuncture effects human immune system.
ABSTRACT
According to the recent advanced studies on diabetes mellitus, the types of the disease are complecated. So it is too difficult to do treatments for the patients. And then, it is important that the patients themselves must do self-controls such as taking special diet or doing specific exercise. And the purpose of treatment of diabetes is chiefly to prevent the advancement of the complications of the diseases.<br>The authors report here the curative effect of the acupuncture therapy on the patients suffering from diabetes mellitus with its complications in a various advanced stages. Three patients were done the acupuncture therapy who had clinically diagnosed as diabetes mellitus and the acupuncture therapy was applied everyday or several times a week. We observed clinically the changes of the diabetic conditions such as subjective symptoms or FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar Level).<br>Following the acupuncture therapy, the patients of three cases were reduced gradually the subjective symptoms and controled FBS to the normal level. However, when the intervals of acupuncture therapy were elongated or acupuncture therapy was postoponed, blood sugar levels showed an unstable tendency.<br>Therefore, the authors concluded that it was necessary to treat the diabetic patients with more longer and frequently with.
ABSTRACT
In this study we investigated the effects of electric acupuncture on <i>in vivo</i> function of cell-mediated immunity, especially Mountoux reaction (PPD skin test) in normal individuals.<br>Normal young adults were inserted Chinese needles into two specific needle points, which were determined by means of chinese diagnostic procedures of radial arteries. The electric current were 5Hz, 2volt for 5 minutes.<br>One of the normal individuals showed negative reaction of PPD skin test, and 6 of them showed weak positive reaction. These 7 persons were done the second PPD skin test at 2 months after initial skin test, and they were treated with electric acupuncture immediately before skin test. 3 of them showed strong positive reaction of second skin test with electric acupuncture. Moreover, area of erythema induced by skin reaction become larger than first skin test in all of them. These results suggested that electric acupuncture would augment the <i>in vivo</i> cell-mediated immune reaction.
ABSTRACT
The number of diabetics is now on the increase in Japan. It was said several ten years ago that diabetics could not live long. Now, however, they can live as long as healthy people with advanced medical care.<br>The recent treatment of diabetes is done chiefly to prevent complications. Nevertheless, there are no effective treatments to prevent complications except for basic therapy such as diet or exercise. In the 51st conference of the Japan Endocrinological Society (1978), we reported the effects of acupuncture on alloxan-induced pancreatic island injury of DDY mice. We report here a clinical study on a patient with diabetes: Acupuncture therapy was applied to the patient, and observation on changes in the diabetic condition such as subjective symptoms or blood sugar value, and in some phisical and chemical findings which indicate complications, was undertaken.<br>CASE REPORT<br>A patient with a long history of diabetes, who had been diagnosed in 1959, showed drastically changed symptoms since that time. When first examined in our clinic, fasting blood sugar (FBS) was 328mg/dl. The patient complained of amblyopia caused by diabetic cataract, malaise, anorexia, shoulder stiffness, a sensation of fullness in the abdomen, etc. On and after July 31, 1981, acupuncture therapy was applied everyday or every other day.<br>After the institution of acupuncture therapy, the subjective symptoms were gradually improved. FBS fell into the normal level (105mg/dl) on Aug. 17, 1982. The influence of another therapy which the patient concurrently underwent was also discussed.
ABSTRACT
Although the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of various diseases has been empirically established, systematic demonstration of this point has been rarely made. Our animal experiments designed to prove the efficacy of acupuncture on a scientific basis are reviewed here.<br>Each of the following experiments was carried out on two to five groups of mice. Mice in acupuncture group (A-animals) were acupunctured at four to seventeen points on every second or third day beginning with the first experimental day.<br>Exp. I. The preventive effect of acupuncture on acute poisoning by carbon tetrachloride-With carbon tetrachloride (4.16g/kg body weight) injected in the abdominal cavity on the 18th exp. day, all the non-acupunctured mice (N-animals) died in 72 hours after the administration, while 16% of the A-animals survived.<br>Exp. II. The curative effect of acupuncture on subacute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride. -Carbon tetrachloride (3.47g/kg b. w.) was administered on the 17th exp. day in the same manner as Exp. I. Levallorphan tartrate (antagonist to narcotics) was given to half of the A-animals (L+A-animals) and control animals (L-animals) before each session of acupuncture. Electron microscopic examination revealed severely injured liver cells in the N-animals and very little changes in the A-animals. The liver of L+A-animals was injured to some extent. Since the explanation of toxicity of levallorphan was refuted by the L-animals, this result suggests that some narcotic substances play a role in the process.<br>Exp. III. The effect of acupuncture on alloxan diabetes. -Alloxan (6mg) was administered on the 8th exp. day, and the animals were sacrificed on the 30th or 46th exp. day for examination. The N-animals showed extremely high blood sugar, though the A-animals did not. Ultrastructural study revealed that characteristic changes of alloxan diabetes in the pancreas had almost disappeared from the A-animals.<br>Exp. IV. The effect of acupuncture on renal injury induced by mercuric chloride. -With mercuric chloride (0.2mg/100g b. w.) administered three times a week, 10% of the N-animals and none of the A-animals died during the three-month period. Fairly heavy proteinuria (30-100mg/ml) was detected in the N-animals, though uria of A-animals was almost normal. After a one-month period, the N-animals showed a significant weight loss compared to the A-animals. Through the use of the electron microscope, severe injuries were seen in the epithelium of the renal tubules of the N-animals, and healed injuries in that of the A-animals.<br>Ultrastructural evidence has been presented that acupuncture is effective in (1) preventing and curing liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride, (2) curing alloxan diabetes, (3) curing nephritis induced by mercuric chloride. Our hypothesis suggesting the possible mechanism that underlies these effects produced by acupuncture has been briefly explained.
ABSTRACT
In this study we investigated the effects of electric acupuncture on <i>in vitro</i> functions of lymphocytes, especially mitogen responses and natural killer (NK) activities of peripheral lymphocytes from normal individuals.<br>Normal young adults were inserted chinese needles into two specific needle points, which were determined by means of chinese diagnostic procedures of radial arteries. The electric current were 5Hz, 2Volt for 5 minutes. There was a tendency to increase phytohaemoaggultinin (PHA) or concanavalin A (Con A) responses of lymphocytes immediatly after acupuncture, but no significant changes. However, there was a significant (p=0.05) increase of pookweed.mitogen (PWM) responses immediatly after acupuncture. NK activities were measured by a <sup>51</sup>Cr release assays. NK activities were enhanced significantly (p=0.05) immediatry after acupuncture. Moreover these changes of mitogen responses and NK activities were shown only when stimulated at specific acupuncture points. Most prominent changes were observed immediately after acupuncture, and the changes in parts continued after 4 hours.
ABSTRACT
In recent years there is much talk of prevention or early detection of diseases. The number of persons undergoing complete general testing and physical examinations has increased. However among the patients coming to the acupuncture clinic are persons who upon undergoing physical examinations at hospitals were told results showed nothing wrong and yet they continue to experimence subjective or non-objective symptoms. Concerned with this problem I checked the distribution of patients coming to the clinic.<br>1, 838 persons from among the 2, 297 new patients who visited our clinic during the 5 years, 2-months from Oct. 1, 1973 to Dec. 30, 1980 who had been diagnosed by a physician were used as subjects of this examination. Results indicated that of these 1, 838 persons 258 or in other words, 14% of the subjects were experiencing subjective or non-objective symptoms.<br>I reported on the 1, 649 patients who visited the clinic in 1974, however, as together with this discussion some interesting results concerning the patient distribution of non-“subjective and non-objective symptom” patients were obtained, I'd like to also report on these.
ABSTRACT
The acupuncture points are quite important in Oriental medicine. They have been known for about 3, 000 years. However, the points have not been ascertained morphologically to date.<br>In this experiment, the acupuncture points such as Hoku (LI-4), Taichong (LV-3) and one of the auricular points, which were at first obtained morphologically using a Rydoraku point-searching apparatus (12V, DC), and then needled perpendicularly with acupuncture needle No. 30, staining the tip of the needle with carbon black ink to mark the point localizations.<br>Small pieces of skin were marked with ink cuts and fixed with 10% neutralized formalin, and then serial paraffin sections were made for light microscopical observations.<br>The acupuncture points seemed to be the places at which the electric resistance was usually lower than at other non-acupuncture points.<br>Non-acupuncture points with high electric resistance were also taken for the control (Fig. 7).<br>From the light microscopical observations of the acupuncture points, a special complex was found (Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). It was composed of a nerve fiber running horizontal to the surface of the skin, some blood and lymph vessels and a small amount of collagenous fibers.<br>These elements seemed to be a plexus forming a complex, and the complex was usually located within the subcutaneous tissue.<br>On the other hand, such complex had not been observed at the non-acupuncture points so far (Fig. 7).<br>In summary, it is postulated that the acupuncture points seem to be in some way related to the nervous elements, the vascular system and collagenous fibers.<br>Fig. 1. A schematic illustration of acupuncture points, postulated by Niboyet (1979).<br>Fig. 2. Histological view of the acupuncture point of Hoku (LI-4) in the left foreleg of the mouse.<br>X70<br>Fig. 3. At the point of Hoku (LI-4) in the right foreleg of the mouse, one can also see a complex of nervous elements (N) and the vascular system (V). X70<br>Fig. 4 This light micrograph also shows a complex of nervous elements (N) and vascular system (V) in Taichong (LV-3) of the left hind leg of the mouse. X150<br>Fig. 5. There is also observed a complex of the nervous elements (N) and vascular system (V) in Taichong (LV-3) of the right hind leg of the mouse. X150<br>Fig. 6. A complex of the nervous elements (N) and vascular system (V) is also observed in an acupuncture point of the mouse auricle. X150<br>Fig. 7. A complex of the nervous elements and vascular system is not observed in the non-acupuncture point area of the mouse foreleg. X70
ABSTRACT
It is well known that acupuncture has a curative effect for some chronic diseases such as neuralgy or lumbago, if it is administered carefully in terms of the patient. However, the mechanism of acupuncture's effectiveness remains obscure.<br>In this experiment, using mice of the ICR strain, the protective effect of acupuncture against mouse liver injury was investigated following the administration of carbon tetrachloride.<br>Experiment I (Fig. 1): One hundred mice were divided into two groups. The first group of animals was administered carbon tetrachloride ip on day 18. The second group was treated a total of six times with acupuncture every three days from the first experimental day to day 18 at the points of Tienshu (ST-25), Feishu (BL-13), Hsinshu (BL-15), Kanshu (BL-18), Pishu (BL-20), Weishu (BL-21), Chimen (LV-14), Chihai (CV-6), Chungwan (CV-12) and Chuchueh (CV-14) (Figs. 3, 4). Fllowing the administration of carbon tetrachloride, the mouse mortality was checked. All of the animals of the first group (carbon tetrachloride administration only) died within 72 hours, but only 84% of the animals of the second group (carbon tetrachloride and acupuncture treatments) died (Fig. 2).<br>Experiment II (Fig. 1): One hundred and 60 mice were divided into 5 groups. The first group was used for the control (Fig. 5). The second group was injected ip with carbon tetrachloride of 3.47g/Kg BW on day 17. The third group was given a total of 5 acupuncture treatments every three days at the points as mentioned in Experiment I, and carbon tetrachloride was injected as in the second group.<br>The fourth group was injected a total of 5 times with 0.0004mg levallorphan (an anti-opiate) every three days. The fifth group was given acupuncture treatments like the third group; levallorphan was injected before the acupuncture, and also carbon tetrachloride was injected on day 17 as in the second or third, group.<br>The animals were sacrificed on day 20, and the liver tissues were treated as usual and then observed by electron microscopy.<br>The hepatocytes of the second group (carbon tetrachloride only) were heavily injured, and contained, a number of fat droplets, autophagic vacuoles and degenerated cell organelles (Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9). On the other hand, the hepatocytes of the third group (carbon tetrachloride and acupuncture treatments) were almost normal, and without any cell injury (Figs. 10, 11, 12).<br>The hepatocytes of the fourth group were not injured with levallorphan, suggesting that levallorphan has no cell toxicity (Fig. 13).<br>The fifth group showed hepatic cell injury similar to the second group (Fig. 14). Levallorphan thus might have an antagonistic action for the acupuncture effectiveness.<br>In summary, it was concluded that acupuncture has a protective effect against liver injury caused by carbon tetrachloride administration, and prevents not only animal death but also hepatic cell injury. The mechanism of the acupuncture effectiveness is speculated to be as follows. The stimulus of the acupuncture is conducted to the central nervous system and then the central nervous system secretes some neural hormonal substances such as endorphin or enkephalin, which might regulate or accelerate the autonomic nervous system, and then the viscerae functions are accelerated and thus might repair the injuries or dieseases.<br>In the above-mentioned experiments, levellorphan may have disturbed the secretion or action of endorphin or enkephalin from the central vervous system, which was said to be secreted following the acupuncture treatments, resulting in the ineffectiveness of acupuncture treatments.<br>Fig. 1. Schedules of the experiments.<br>Fig. 2. The mortality rate of mice following carbon tetrachloride administration (Experiment I).<br>Fig. 3. Acupuncture points on the mouse belly.<br>Fig. 4. Acupuncture points on the mouse back.<br>Fig. 5. A part of the hepatic cell from a normal mouse. The nucleus (N) and nucleolus (NO) are morphologic