ABSTRACT
The effects of auricular acupuncture stimulation on non-obese healthy volunteers were tested. Subjects (n=35) averaged 31.5 (17-57) years old, and average BMI was 25.3 (19.2-35.7) kg/m<sup>2</sup>. Small (2.0×0.15mm) auricular needles were applied intracutaneously into the bilateral cavum conchae, a vagally (Arnold n.) innervated region that was identified by having low resistance (27.1-345.5kΩ/cm<sup>2</sup>), for six weeks. Body weight was measured four times a day, and was charted by the subjects themselves.<br>Results showed that, in the period of without auricular stimulation, only body weight was measured and charted, 31.4% of the subjects reduced their body weight. In the auricular acupuncture treated period, 19 out of 27 subjects (70.4%) decreased (p<0.01), 4 (14.8%) increased, and4 (14.8%) had no change in their body weights.<br>In conclusion, the results suggest that success in maintaining weight reduction can be attributed to graphic illustration of ones weight pattern. Bilateral auricular acupuncture stimulation can also reduced the body weight of healthy non-obese subjects. This is consistent with the suggestion that daily charting of body weight and auricular acupuncture might be effective in the treatment of obese patients.
ABSTRACT
The effects of cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) and its selective antagonists (proglumide, MK-329) on morphine induced analgesia (MIA) in the paw pressure test of the Wistar-SPF male rats were investigated. Baseline pain thresholds indicated that the morning (09:00-12:00) testing were significantly higher than the afternoon (14:00-18:00) testing. This result supports that diurnal variation of endogenous opioids. MIA was shown clear (p<0.01) dose-dependent (1.5-15mg/kg, i. p., n=6) manner with significant correlation coefficient (y=3.98x+22.67, r=0.827, p<0.001). CCK significantly (p<0.01) reduced MIA. Both proglumide (5-50mg/kg) and MK-329 (0.5-5.0mg/kg) were enhanced MIA. Especially, MK-329 has shown potently enhanced MIA. i. e. it showed desinhibition to the CCK's inhibitory action to MIA. These results suggest that CCK play important role to the endogenous opioids antagonist via through CCK-B receptors and to the function of the pain/analgesic mechanisms.
ABSTRACT
We have investigated that individual properties and irritability to the electrical stimulation of Wenliu (Li-7) were determined by acupuncture of Hegu (Li-4) and Quchi (Li-11) as the strength-duration relations.<br>Results showed that reobase (27.8±1.09V, n=114), utilization time (1.38±0.13ms, n=114) and chronaxie (0.031±0.002ms, n=114), were interestingly similar as previous results of in vitro studies.<br>Value of chronaxie of female subjects (0.021±0.001ms, n=21) was significantly lower than male (0.053±0.010ms, n=36). So that acupuncture stimulation influenced to the chronaxie.<br>Hegu stimulation significantly (p<0.05) shortend than Quchi stimulation as compared to intact control group.<br>These results might be suggested that it has to considered responses to stimulation in the sex differences when determination of acupuncture effects in the clinical and/or research studies.
ABSTRACT
It is well known that opioids cause analgesia and feeding elicitation by action in the either periaqueductal gray (PAG) or ventral tegmental area (VTA).<br>We have investigated that determination of opioids receptor subtype on the lateral hypothalamic area, as feeding center, electrical stimulation induced feeding (LHA-ESIF) followed microinjection of μ-(morphine), δ-(DADLE) and κ-(U50, 488H) receptor selective agonists and physiological saline into the VTA and PAG of chronic Wistar male rats, weighing between 350 and 480g. with stimulation fixed at a modulate level, 50Hz. time to eat three-45mg pellets within 45sec. were studied.<br>Dose of 10 (but not 1) nmol of three agonists microinjected into the VTA significantly (p<0.01) reduced time of LHA-ESIF, these agonists were almost equally effective at this dose. Naloxone(NLX) reversed the effects of each agonists. NLX was slightly more effective agonist morphine than against DADLE or U50, 488H. This results suggest that all three receptor subtype may be contributed to the VTA fascilitation of the LHA-ESIF, and NLX is a selective antagonist of μ-receptor.<br>In the microinjection of PAG, morphine (20, but not 2nmol) showed increasing LHA-ESIF, while both δ-and κ-agonists were each without effects. These results indicated that the PAG inhibition of LHA-ESIF is mediated solely by μ-receptor.<br>It is, thus suggests that opioids receptor subtypes on the PAG, as site of the acupuncture analgesia, might be contributed, neither δ-nor κ-receptors, through only via μ-receptor.
ABSTRACT
In our previous paper, we reported that the rate of responses to the electric stimulation through an acupuncture applied to the source point “TAISHO” increased in anamnestic and, in particular, status pathogenic sites. In the present paper, we conducted a similar investigation using the source poiht “GOUKOKU” to study relations between anamnestic or status sites, Meridians, and algesic thresholds. It was found:<br>(1) Among subjects with anamnestic and status pathogenic sites, those subjects with a nasal disorder, such as rhinitis and empyema, showed a significantly higher rate or responses in the nasal area.<br>(2) There was no right-left lateral difference in the response rate. The exception is when stimulation was applied on facial sites, a higher response rate was observed on the contralateral side, thus suggesting a route pattern similar to the Meridian-stream pattern recorded in classical documents.<br>(3) Although there were individual variations, an increase in the algesic threshold was generally observed in all body areas, and not in a specific area; therefore, no relationship was found between the Meridian and the phenomenon of propagated sensation.
ABSTRACT
We have been observed that the HIBIKI-Paradigms which were induced by the acupuncture stimulations as following methods: central part of arm was divided 24 points as center was GEKIMON (#1), each points has distance 1cm. After a single stimulations, all of symptoms, which was reported by test-subjects, sites, direction, distances from stimulus points of HIBIKI, were recorded and analysed statistically.<br>Results showed that the occurences of HIBIKI were demonstrated no laterality, and propagated not only unidirectionally, also conducted both directions: i. e. efferently and/or afferently, which conducted distances tend to be equality, excepting a some of specific sites.<br>In conclusion, these results suggested that HIBIKI-Paradigms demonstrated no substantiated to be the so-called the HIBIKI, TOKKI or SHINKYO.
ABSTRACT
We have investigated that a relation between the phenomenon of propagated sensation and meridian on the anamnesis and non-anamnesis subjects.<br>The source point, “Taisho” of the liver meridian was stimulated by an acupuncture needle with the electronic currents.<br>No relations were found between the phenomenon of propagated sensation and meridian, and their mutual similarity. However, the most subjects, who have been either recorded anamnesis or present status, significantly prompt appeared any reactions than normal subjects. Also, the any responses by stimulations were found that subjects who has present status, showed higher parcentage than past one at the pathogenic region.<br>These results suggested that the phenomenon of propagated sensation and meridian and pathogenic regions might be close relations.