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[Objective]To research a effect of prevention against cold syndrome by acupuncture<BR>[Methods]I questioned 215 patients who come to the acupuncture and moxibustion clinic to oriental medical center group.<BR>Contents of the question<BR>From when you come to needle therapy<BR>A:your body is strong for cold syndrome<BR>B:no change<BR>C:you are weak for cold syndrome<BR>[Results]63.4%of the patients marked "A:your body is strong for cold syndrome ".Percentage of answered A.Come to oriental medical center group for<BR>less than 2 years: 45.9%<BR>over 2 years and less than 4 years: 63.3%<BR>over 4 years: 82.8%<BR>[Conclusions]Acupuncture is a good way for prevention against cold syndrome. And the result say that the more you come to acupuncture, the more you are strong for cold syndrome.
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[Objective] For an objective investigation of symptomatic changes in indefinite complaints accompanying sleep disorder (6 participants), efficacy of acupuncture treatment was investigated using charts on indefinite complaints developed by Yasuzo Kurono, the chief of the indefinite complaint section in the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, research committee.<BR>[Design] Case reports providing descriptive research<BR>[Methods] Single acupuncture was administered by Taikyoku therapy (basic meridian points for total adjustment according to the Kurono style), and topical therapy (CV 17, ST 36) using 30-mm 18-guage needles. The treatment times were from 14 to 21 times.<BR>[Results] Improvement of indefinite complaints was observed, and effect assessment using the charts on indefi-nite complaints showed marked improvement (1 participant was very effective, 5 participants were effective). Improvement of symptoms associated with sleep disorder was also observed.<BR>[Conclusion] Efficacy of acupuncture treatment for indefinite complaints accompanying sleep disorder and themselves were suggested by the improvement of symptoms associated with sleep disorder.
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[Objective] We performed a multi-center randomized controlled trial using sham acupuncture as a control in the 11 institutions of Aichi and Shizuoka prefecture at which we practice our original acupuncture method. <BR>[Design · Methods] Patients were randomly allocated to four groups : A group, “Taikyoku-Ryoho” (whole body acupuncture method) pole treatment combined with low frequency electroacupuncture; B group, “TaikyokuRyoho” pole treatment; C group, low frequency electroacupuncture; D group, sham acupuncture. Therapeutic effectiveness was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and criteria of the Japanese Orthopedic Association for low back pain (JOA score). After these evaluations, patients in B group received low frequency electroacupuncture and patients in C group received “Taikyoku-Ryoho” pole treatment. Patients in D group received both therapies. Thus, all patients eventually received the entire series of therapies. [Results] Significant improvement (P<0.05) in VAS and JOA scores was recognized after one acupuncture treatment in A, B and C groups, but not in D group. There were no differences in terms of the effectiveness among A, B and C groups.<BR>[Conclusion] Our original acupuncture method of “Taikyoku-Ryoho” combined with low frequency electroacupuncture was superior to sham acupuncture. However, the definition of sham acupuncture needs to be more clearly defined in future research.
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Research on pulse diagnosis conducted so far by Kurono et al. includes a study on pulse diagnosis and six basic pulses and a study on the application of AMI (an apparatus for measuring the function of the meridian and corresponding internal organs) to pulse diagnosis.<BR>In this study, fluctuation of the meridian functions with or without acupuncture treatment according to the law of the five elements were examined objectively using BP values measured by AMI. When BP values were measured for 10 times without acupuncture treatment, the values for the respective meridiansfluctuated in a stable manner, averaging 4% or less. As a result of testing 6 subjects using this meridian treatment according to the law of the five elements, fluctuation of the meridian functions increased in the oriental medical diagnosis of all the subjects.<BR>Thus, the results of this study showed the feasibility of using AMI for objectively evaluating the fluctuation of meridian functions. The authors intend to continue to examine the relationship between diagnosis and acupuncture using AMI.
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With the aim of investigating the effect of drop in blood pressure of the Zusanli (ST36), a multi-center randomized controlled trial was conducted with the envelope method. Patients showing the high blood pressure condition were divided into 2 of the group treated with use of the Zusanli point and the group with non-use of Zusanli point.Changes in blood pressure were then measured.The present results show no significant difference was seen between the 2 groups, thus did not find the Zusanli point to be effective.
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At the 45th Japanese National Acupuncture and Moxibustion Conference, Kitakoji et al. of the Research Committee's Urology Group reported the results of controlled clinical trials, using the envelope method, on the effectiveness of acupuncture for urinary dysfunction. This was presented as a case in which the “Guidelines and Recommendations for clinical Trials in Acupuncture” were applied in actual clinical research. A controlled investigation was carried out by the Information and Evaluation Group, Research Section, Aichi Regional Association, at multiple institutions (9 hospitals and clinics) on the effectiveness of the zhongji (cv-3) point for urinary dysfunction, using the envelope method of Kitakoji et al. Although the zhongji (cv-3) point was not found to be effective against urinary dysfunction, we were able to demonstrate that it is possible to conduct controlled clinical trials at multiple institutions based on soft data.
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We have twice previously reported the results of our preliminary investigation regarding patients with hypertension. Recently, the focus of our interest has been on the blood pressure levels at the time of the third sound of korotkoff. We reported our findings regarding this topic in an oral presentation titled “Evaluation of acupunctural treatment in hypertensive patients” at the 9th Annual Central Japan Block Meeting of the Japanese Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion Therapy.<br>Since then, we have accumulated further clinical experience regarding hypertensive patients. In this study, we investigated the third sound of korotkoff in patients diagnosed as borderline hypertension according to the WHO criteria for hypertension. The blood pressure during the third sound of korotkoff ranged from 100mmHg to 110mmHg in our patients. This difference in blood pressure noted during the decreasing phase of the blood pressure cycle may serve as a useful prognostic indicator in hypertensive patients.
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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.
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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.
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In our clinic, blood pressure measurement has been done for many patients with various chief complaints. Acupuncture treatment was undertaken to improve their chief complaints according to Kurono's whole-body adjustment. We carried out a research paying attention to the fact that the patients with elevations of the blood pressure at the first visit showed a tendency to gradual decrease of the values.<br>According to the values of the first measurement, patients were divided into two groups in accordance with WHO's criteria: Hypertension group and Boundary one.<br>The first measurement velues and the averaged values of the following seven measurements undertaken before treatment were compared using histgram and t-test.<br>The descent of the blood pressure was seen in both Hypertension and Boundary group.
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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.
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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.
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Pulse diagnosis has been taking an important part, together with the other diagnostic techniques, for determination of symptoms and treatment of patients with acupuncture. However, the traditional expression of pulse is complicated and subjective, so that the understanding of pulse diagnosis in termes of modern medicine is almost impossible. We tried to objectify the expression of pulse wave.<br>The pulse wave recorded from the six positions on radial artery according to the method described in Chinese Medicine through a force transducer. The recordings were processed for Fourier analysis utilizing a computer system. Characteristics of the pulse wave can be expressed quantitatively as a form of power spectrum of its components. The preliminary results of this study was reported at the 31th annual meeting of the Japan Society of Acupuncture. This time, we report the analysis on the basic pulse waves which have been recognized as negative-positive and imaginaryreal pulses.<br>Method<br>The subjects were normal volunteers of 36 males and 17. females. A force tranducer (Nihon Kohden TF-11S) Equipped with 0.52cm<sup>2</sup> of sensitive area was placed on the radial artery under the pressure ranging from 20 to 550gr. The pulse wave thus recorded was led into the electronic computer (HITAC-20) to obtain the power spectrum of the frequencies.<br>Results<br>It was found that characteristics of the six kinds of pulse waves, i. e., floating-sunken, smooth-leap and slow-fast types, can be represented quantitatively in terms of frequency histogram. Further, a possibility to express so called "complex pulse" in Chinese Medicine by this method is suggested.
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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.
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Pulse diagnosis is one of the most important diagnostic method in Chinese medicine, however, the expression of this diagnostic technique is subjective and cannot be in this form compared with modern medicine. Many attempts to describe the pulse conditions objectively have been made, however, there has been little success.<br>Any wave can be described by the frequency distribution of the energy, according to Fourier. Using this method, we tried to objectify the pulse wave. For the recording of the pulse, a pick-up (Nihon Kohden TF-11S) was fixed in a place at the radial artery and pressure applied using a micromanipulator. The output was put into a data recorder through an amplifier and monitored by an oscillograph. Data was then processed using computer (HITAC-20) and power spectrums were displayed.<br>In the above described method, the minimum and maximum force which should be applied to detect the pulse wave varied from person to person. The range was from 10-50g and 400-600g for minimum and maximum, respectively. This can be considered as individual variations of so called “floating and sunken” pulses. The best shape of pulse waves were obtained with 100-300g of pressure.<br>A typical power spectrum of pulse wave was composed of standard sine curve (approximately 1Hz, basic wave) and its harmonics. Sharply peaked waves occured when the basic component was great and oppositely, the flatter waves contained abundant of harmonics. The ratio of the basic wave to its harmonics represents the characteristics of wave pattern, i. e., objective description of pulse conditions can be made.<br>We will then, investigate the correspondence of the recordings to the expressions in the Chinese medicine, influences of acupuncture, etc.
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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.
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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
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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