ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect mechanism of warm acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking therapy and its efficacy on insomnia by monitoring the level of brain neurotransmitters in the insomnia patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and thirty patients with insomnia were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 65 cases in each one. In the observation group, based on the treating principle of warming yang and benefiting qi, acupuncture was applied to Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (PC 6) and Shenmen (HT 7). Warm acupuncture was supplemented at Xinshu (BL 15), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and Yaoyangguan (GV 3). The treatment was given once every day. In the control group, estazolam tablets, 0. 5 to 1 mg were prescribed for oral administration, 30 min before sleep at night. The treatment of 14 days was taken as one session and 2 sessions were required in the two groups. The encephal of luctuograph technology was used to observe the sleep quality and brain neurotransmitters before and after treatment in the two groups and the efficacy was compared between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 83.1% (54/65) in the observation group and 87.7% (57/65) in the control group. The efficacy was similar between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the observation group, after treatment, 5-HT and GABA/Glu were all increased compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01) and norepinephrine (NE) was reduced compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05). The level of each index did not change significantly before and after treatment in the control group (all P > 0.05). The regulations of 5-HT, GABA/Glu in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The combined therapy of warm acupuncture and auricular point sticking method for warming yang and benefiting qi effectively improves brain neurotransmitters and essentially improves sleep quality of the patients with insomnia differentiated as yang deficiency pattern.</p>