Physiological Significance of De-qi Sensation Induced by Acupuncture Stimulation from the Viewpoint of Event Related Potential (ERP) / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

Although De-qi sensation induced by acupuncture stimulation has been considered one of the conditions for good acupuncture effects, its physiological significance has not been clarified. Therefore, we examined the influence of De-qi sensation on the central nervous system (CNS) by measuring the event-related potential (ERP) induced by acupuncture stimulation.<br>Tests were conducted on nine healthy adult males. Acupuncture stimulation was given to these subjects, and ERPs were collected from three locations of the head, Fz, Cz, and Pz, using both ear lobes as reference electrodes. For control data, surface electric stimulation was given to the same subjects and ERPs were collected from the same locations. Acupuncture stimuli or electric stimuli were given to the left-side LI10 32 times at random intervals of 4 to 7 sec. To analyze ERPs, ERPs in response to 32 trials were averaged using a DP 1100 system (a signal processor made by NEC SANEI, LTD.).<br>The latency of the ERP triggered by acupuncture stimulation was approximately P350msec, while that of the ERP triggered by electric stimulation was found to be approximately P250msec, resulting in a difference of P100msec. These results suggest that the De-qi sensation induced by acupuncture stimulation may strongly influence the CNS functions, especially the processing recognition of CNS. It is suggested that this acupuncture stimuli related potential may not be p-LPC.

Fundamental and Clinical Research for Acupuncture Therapy on Patient with Alopecia. I. The study of the causes of alopecia with survey of local and general symptoms of 534 cases / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

In dermatology, It is assumed that one of causes of alopecia androgenitica is progression of vellus transformation on scalp, and it is participated by teststerone, and, abnomal condition of autonomic nervous system or immuniy system is concerned with couses of alopecia areata. But, it cannot be denied that the influence of circulation of the blood on scalp and effect from mental condition upon alopecia.<br>We made an investigation of scalp and general conditions with 350 patients of terogen alopecia and 184 patients of catagen alopecia, for the purpouses of examining treatment method for alopecia with acupuncture therapy.<br>In the group of telogen alopecia, 86.3% of patients have a thin headskin, 85.3% of patients have a strained scalp. And 87.4% of patients have strained mussles on neck and shoulders. Acording to these coefficient of relevancy, it was appreciated that thin headskin and strained mussules on neck and shoulders are associated.<br>In the group of catagen alopecia, 73.9% of patients have some erythema on their scalp, 56.5% of patients have a edima on their scalp. And 59.2% of patients have skin hypersensitive symptoms on whole body. Then, association bitween edima and hypersensitivity of skin was appreciated.<br>The results assumed that the scalp symptpms that are related to aropecia and perticulor conditions of the body was associated. And if acupuncture therapy can inprove these conditions, It suggest possibility that acupuncture therapy has effect on alopecia.

Effects of Electro-acupuncture on Regional cerebral blood flow and Regional cerebral glucose utilization / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

The effects of electro-acupuncture on the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral glucose utilization (rCMRglc) are unknown.<br>We examined the rCBF and rCMRglc in five normal adult volunteers and ten patients with cerebrovascular accident and brain tumor using positron emission tomography (PET) in order to investigate the effects of acupuncture on functions of central nerve system.<br>The stimulation by electro-acupuncture was performed on HOKU and SHOU-SANLI on one side. Electro-acupuncture was done for 10 minutes, at the frequency of 2Hz to cause a slight muscle twich. The rCBF and rCMRglc in volunteers were mearsured before and after electro-acupuncture stimulation.<br>The results are as follows;<br>1) On the OM45mm slice image, stimulation to HOKU and SHOU-SANLI on one side increased the rCBF and rCMRglc of frontal and temporal lobe on the opposite side of stimulation.<br>2) On the OM80mm slice image, electro-acupuncture incrased the rCBF and rCBFglc of frontal and temporal lobe on both the right and left side.<br>These results suggest that stimulation of electro-acupuncture may influences the rCBF and rCMRglc.

Specificity of Meridian and acupuncture-points. Relationship between acupuncture-points of the gallbladder meridian on the lower extremity and gallbladder's form / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

Objective: Very few studies have been reported on the specific functions of individual meridians and acupuncture points. We examined the functional relations between “the gallbladder Meredian and gallbladder” using the gallbladder's form as an index, in older to identify the specific functions of individual meridians and acupuncture points.<br>Subjects and Methods: This study was made on five healthy male adult volunteers who fasted during the experiment day.<br>The gallbladder was selected as the target organ and its form was measured with an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (Toshiba SSA-90A). The images of the gallbladder form were taken at the pointwhen the major axis of the cross-sectional area of the gallbladder was maxium. The cross-sectional area of the gallbladder was measured with an image analyzer. The gallbladder form was measured 15 minutes after the subject had lied on his back. Images were taken at intervals of 2 to 5 minutes 10 minutes before stimulation and for 30 minutes during and after stimulation. Acupuncture stimulation was given at the points of C34. Dannang, G36, G37, G40, and G44 on the right side of the body. After getting the degi, 1 minute of sparrow picking needle technique and 1 minute of leaving needle technique were repeated three times.<br>Results: 1) Stimulation of the G34, G36, G37, and G44 gave no effects on the gallbladder form. 2) Stimulation of the Dannang (EX) produced contraction of the gallbladder. 3) Stimulation of the G40 produced distension of the gallbladder. From the above results, we found that there two types of acupuncture points; one causes contraction of the gallbladder, and the other, distension of the gallbladder. This suggests that individual acupuncture points have specific functions.

Effects of acupuncture evaluated by EEG topogram and positron CT / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

<b>Object</b>: There is a saying in the classics as follows; “The key to acupuncture is to control Shén (the spirit)” (Emperor's Canon of Medicine). This saying emphasizes that control of the spirit is the fundamental principle of clinical application of acupuncture and moxibustion. The term “spirit” here implies function of the central nervous system in a broad sense. For the purpose of examining the effect of needle stimulation on the function of the central nervous system, research was conducted applying electroencephalographic (EEG) topography and positron CT.<br><b>Methods</b>: The research was conducted on 30 subjects consisting of healthy adult volunteers and patients with various diseases. Two types of stimulation, electric needle stimulation and TEAS, were adopted. Sites of stimulation were IC₁₀ Shousanli-IC₄ Hoku, bilateral VF₁₂ Head-Wanku, and G₃₆ Tsusanli-LP₆ Shanyinchiao. Stimulation at a frequency of 2Hz was administered at such an intensity that a light muscular twitching was induced at the sites of stimulation. Electrization was conducted for 10-20 minutes. EEG topography was performed according to the ten-twenty electrode system. EEG was recorded by unipolar leads from 12 sites on the scalp, and was analyzed mainly on EEG topograms obtained before, during, and after the stimulation, using an EEG topography system (Nihon Denki Sanei Sokki Co.). Concerning positron CT, qualitative measurement (¹¹C-CO₂ and ¹¹C-glucose) and quantitative measurement (¹⁵O₂ and C¹⁵O₂) were conducted. Data was collected using HEADTOM (Shimazu Seisakujo Co.). The region of interest was identified in the brain using image processing apparatus for medical acupuncture use, and pictures obtained by positron CT before, during and after stimulation was analyzed.<br><b>Results</b>:<br>1) Changes in EEG power of the EEG topogram were observed in all cortical regions, especially in the area from the frontal lobe to the occipital lobe. The subjects could be divided into two types, the type in which the power increased only in the α zone, and the type in which the power both increased in θ and α zones.<br>2) Positron CT revealed that “dé-qi” (the acupuncture feeling) transiently invigorates the paleocortex and the neocortex, and exerts influences on a wide range of cranial nervous cells via the A₁₀ nerve.<br>3) Variation in regional cerebral blood flow induced by the electric needle stimulation was 15-20ml/100g brain tissue/min on average.<br><b>Conclusion</b>: Comfortable stimulation by the needle method is effective in eliminating disharmony between the neocortex and the paleocortex, regulating the function of the autonomic nerves, and stabilizing the spirit.

Specificity of the meridians and acupuncture-points. Effects of qiuxu on the gallbladder's form / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

Objective:<br>There have been a few reports on the specificity of the meridians and Acupuncture-points. In order to identify the specific effects of the meridians and Acupuncture-points, the functional relations between “the gallbladder Meridian and gallbladder” were investigated using the gallbladder's form as an index.<br>Materials and Methods:<br>Ten healthy male adult volunteers participated in the experiments in fasting conditions. The target organ was the gallbladder, and its form was measured with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus (Toshiba SSA-90A). The images of the gallbladder form were taken at the point when the major long axis of the cross-section of the gallbladder reached the peak. The cross-sectional area of the gallbladder was measured with the image analyzer. The measurement of the gallbladder form was conducted after 15 minutes lying on the back, taking images for 10 minutes before stimulation, for 30 minutes during and after stimulation, every two to five minutes. The acupuncture stimulation was given at the points of G34, G36, G37, G40 and G44 on the right side of the body. After getting the deqi, 1 minute of sparrow pecking needle technique and 1 minute of leaving needle technique were conducted three times. The effect of the G40 under the egg yolk loading were also investigated.<br>Results:<br>1) The stimulation of the G34, G36, G37, and G44 showed no effects on the gallbladder form. 2) The stimulation of the G40 caused the distension of the gallbladder form. 3) The stimulation of the G40 showed the suppressive effect on the contraction of the gallbladder due to the load of egg yolk.<br>As described above, the results of this study showed that there is an acupuncture-point on the gallbladder meridian to cause the distension of the gallbladder specifically. It suggests the existence of the specificity of acupuncture-point.

The analgesic effects of electroacupuncture stimulation / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

For the purpose of estimating the analgesic mechanisums of the electroacupuncture stimulation and relating the adrenocortical function with its analgesic effect, the deviation value of the pain threshold by the stimulation and β-endorphin, Met-enkephalin lebels in the cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] and also cortisol lebel in the blood were observed in experimented dogs.<br>The both lebels of CSF and cortisol lebel in blood were significantly increased by the electroacupuncture analgesia. These result suggest that in this analgesia, the hypophysis-adrenal cortex system was activated simultaneously with the production of an endogeneous opiate. Using a new designed pain meter system [non-contact thermal stimulator] for the small animals, increasing of the pain threshold lebels was observed objectively.

A statistical study on propagated sensation along the channels (PSC) of outpatients / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

The term, propagated sensation along the channels (PSC) means the peculiar sensation expeerienced by some people along thier meridians when given acupunctural stimulation of acupoints.<br>In the present study, the incidence of PSC in outpatients who were undergoing acupuncture treatment was investigated.<br>Low frequency electrical stimulation was performed through press needles at twenty-six points: the twelve terminal points of the twelve regular meridians and the Inner-Zhiyin points of both sides. PSC was assessed on a four-grade basis after the manner carried out in China.<br>The incidence of PSC was significantly high among the outpatients compared with that among healthy youth. Patients with hypertension or posttraumatic neck syndrome showed higher incidence of PSC than the other patients.

Clinical application of magnetic acupuncture / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

Magnetic acupuncture achieved by plastering is a particular type of acupuncture whose “pressure stimulation effect” deriving from a needle type minor process produces a synergetic effect due to “magnetic stimulation effect” originating in the magnetism concentrated on and discharged from the process. This magnetic acupuncture charged with low frequency is called “low frequency magnetic acupuncture.” The major factors in effective non-needle electro-stimulus anesthesia (T. N. S.) are the shape and condition of electrodes in their contact with the skin. Since the electrode utilizing a magnetic needle fully meets these conditions, “acupuncture sensation, ” which is clinically considered important, can be adequately expected. The following are the results obtained from our studies on the objective evaluation of a stimulation property and therapeutic effects of low frequency magnetic acupuncture.<br>The subjects involved in the study were 15 healthy adults and 5 patients with various symptoms at Naka Izu Rehabilitation Center. The method adopted was the measure of MV as an index of a comfortable sense of stimulation. An MV pick-up was attached to the subject's thum ball —if right-handed, attached to left thumb, if left-handed, attached to right thumb— with cellophane tape and was recorded by 13ch multi-purpose electro-encephalograph and DTR manufactured by Sanei Sokki K. K. before the results were analyzed by a signal processor.<br>Results:<br>1) In 10 healthy adults whose MV bands before and after T. N. S. of a general type were compared, a decrease of theta band and an increase of alpha band were recognized. When stimulation effects noted in 5 healthy adults given T. N. S. of a general type and low frequency magnetic acupuncture were compared in terms of MV pattern, a generally increasing trend of alpha band was observed in magnetic acupuncture electrodes.<br>2) MV patterns noted in 5 patients with various symptoms who were given low frequency magnetic acupuncture showed a decrease of theta and beta bands as well as an increase of alpha band, while MV amplitude showed a decrease depending on the patient. From the above results, the magnetic acupuncture electrode was found to have a more comfortable sense of stimulation than that of an electrode of an ordinary type.

Chronobiological Approach to Acupuncture Medicine / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

We have taken up biorthythm as an important theory which links Oriental medicine to Western medicine, and analyzed it in an attempt to clarify the uniqueness and undiscovered potential of acupuncture, particularly through the framework of what we call “chronotherapy.”<br>Method:<br>Fifteen dogs were used as experimental animals. Secreted amounts of serum hormones (ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, etc.) were measured every three hours for one whole day (24 hours) and circadian rhythms were analysed. Serum cortisol was then treated as an index of adrenal cortical function, and acupuncture anesthesia was performed during the time zones of hyper- and hyposecretory phases which were determined by periodic regression and harmonic analysis. Correlationships between the susceptibility of acupuncture stimulation and secretory pattern of serum hormones in each time zone were studied.<br>Results:<br>1) Cortisol showed a double-peak secretory pattern, having morning and midnight peaks. ACTH, which exhibited a highly pulsatile secretion at noon, showed a sloping trend thereafter. A consistent pattern of prolactin was recognized in a sleeping phase, although it showed a secretory progress after midnight.<br>2) Electro-acupuncture performed during the time zones where adrenal cortical functions were active and indolent respectively revealed that the adrenal cortical function was activated by an acupuncture stimulation given during the time zone with lowered adrenal cortical function (lower secretory phase) and that the secretory amount was increased. As a result, the validity of clinical theories on “appropriate time, ” “malfunction of biorhythm, ” “weak and strong sitimulations based on the times of organs (entrails), ” etc. which had been emphasized from olden times was confirmed within the scope of animal experiments. It is therefore conceivable that the results currently obtained indicate the uniqueness of acupuncture, whose basic principle is activation of in vivo feedback systems, and usefulness of acupuncture as chronotherapy.

Clinical Application of Magnetic Acupuncture Particularly / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

From old times, Oriental medicine has had a double layer structure comprising therapeutic medicine and constructive medicine, and therapists of Oriental medicine have believed that the best treatment for us is to take care of our health. The problem of the usual therapeutic system used only by acupuncturists is that clinical field is limited to an acupuncture clinic and the number of patients is also limited. In view of the above and with the goal of solving these problems, we devised a new magnetic acupuncture methol which is applicable to our home treatment in the early stages of disease and examined, from both the viewpoints of Oriental medicine and health medicine, whether or not this magnetic acupuncture is a useful means for systematically performing the treatments of therapeutic medicine and of constructive medicine.<br>(1) Magnetic acupuncture treatment<br>In this treatment, it is mainly expected that slight clincal symptom (stiffness, pain) will be relieved owing to the synergistic effect of the needle pressure stimulation and the magnetic action exercised by the needle plastered on the reaction acupuncture points of living body's skin. Compared with the intracutaneous needle which acupuncturists use as a rule, it is easier to operate. In addition, it is superior in rapidity and durability of effect to the commercially available magnetic pellet and acupuncture pellet.<br>(2) Magnetic acupuncture<br>The magnet is made of isotropic barium ferrite and has a diameter of 5mm and a thickness of 2.3mm. It has a shape of a disc having a small projection located at the center of the disc on the side which comes into contact with skin (N pole side). The magnetism emanating from the projection has a magnetic flux density of about 952 gauss which is approximately 1.8 times as great as the magnetic flux density of the magnetisms emanating from the flat part of the plate other than the projection. There are two kinds of magnetic acupunctures: one is gold magnetic acupuncture for PU (weak stimulation) and the other is silver magnetic acupuncture Xie (strong stimulation).<br>(3) Clinical application<br>In Ling-Shu (Rei Su) which is a volume in the earliest known text on acupuncture, the Nei Ching or Classic of Internal Medicine, or Da-Ging (Dai Kei), it is mentioned that the basic therapeutic point lies in the pain. On these grounds, one magnetic acupuncture disc is plastered on the point at which the response was greatest according to the acupuncture point phenomena (pressure pain, stiffness, depression, hypersensit iveness, trigger-point, etc.) and some additional magnetic acupuncture discs are appropriately plastered on the points surrounding the most sensible point, as well as on the main acupuncture points having a relation to the relief of clinical signs.<br>A clinical test was performed in order to prove the clinical effects of magnetic acupuncture. Thus, 401 subjects who usually complained of stiffness and pain in shoulder without any objective findings were picked out and clinically tested. These subjects were classified into magnetic acupuncture therapy group (120 subjects) and its placebo therapy group (281 subjects), and the clinical test was performed to compare both the groups. Here is reported a part of the test results.

Studies on Clinical Scientific Approach in the Oriental Medicine Observations of 70 patients / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

In order to objectively evaluate the information on the diagnosis based on the oriental medicine, the signs and symptoms of 70 patients who visited our outpatient department were analyzed and evaluated. As a result, likelihood of manifest differences between the patients treated in our clinic and those treated in the clinics of general medicare facilities was found.<br>It was also clarified that image technology was found to be useful for objective diagnosis of the symptoms in accordance with the oriental medicine.

A Clinical Study on the Diagnostic Principles in the Oriental Medicine / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

There are two principal therapeutic methods in the Oriental medicine viz, the physical and the chemical methods, of which the latter corresponds to the “Kanpo Medicine” and the former to the Oriental physiotherapy.<br>In the systems of clinical examination of the Oriental physiotherapy, all of the exterior informations given by a sick body are accepted to be represented by signs on the twelve meridians. And when abnormality is found in a system of “Keiraku” and “Keiketsu, ” a simple and mild physical energy is to be applied to the said system in order to adjust an unbalance in the function of the living body.<br>The most significant difference between the Oriental and the Western medicine exists in the therapeutical system of diagnosis characteristic of the former.<br>There, all of the informations given by a sick body are directly correlated to the therapeutic principle. In detail, the over-all informations are firstly put in correspondence to some of the symptoms and signs of the twelve meridians (namely the pattern of the sickness image) and further classified into someone of the five levels in the light of the Principle of Five Components (WUHANG) on the Five Elements. In other words, the systems of the clinical diagnosis in the Oriental medicine are considered to be intensively based on the Five Elements Theory constituting its fundamental principle of classification and the clinical categories supported by the Theory of Twelve Meridians.<br>Although the conceptional constraction of the Oriental physiotherapy is generally accepted to be accomplished to apply only to the practice, there remained many oburities in its actual conception, at least lacking its scientific substantiation upon logical treatment.<br>The author has studied the validity of the diagnostic systems used in the Oriental medicine from the standpoint that the clinical and therapeutical systems of the Oriental physiotherapy are based on a “traditional hypothesis” worthy to be investigated.<br>(1) The informations of the Oriental physiotherapy are divided into four groups (system). The first group (Symptom system) consists mainly of the subjective complaints of a patient and partly of signs, where 122 informations are used in total. The second group (Five Component System) is further divided into 9 sub-groups each of which consists of every 5 informations corresponding to 5 patterns (Elements)-namely, fire, earth, metal, water and wood-, where 45 informations are used in total. the third group (Keiketsu System) consists of palpation findings of YU-BO system, where 24 informations are obtained. The last group (Puls System) consists of pulse information, surperficial and deep, full or vacant, where 24 informations are obtained in total.<br>In this study, separate diagnoses on 200 cases of inpatients with miscellaneous diseases have been made in the manner of the Oriental medicine starting from the individual informations and compared with those made in the manner of the Western madicine. Consequently, there is seen scarce tendency that a specified name of sickness corresponds to a specified name of “Keiraku.”<br>(2) The frequency of appearance of symptom systems corresponding to each Keiraku ranges from to 70, giving a wide distribution. <i>χ</i>²-test indicates that only 9 of the total (122) informations are on the level of significance (p less then 5%) to be useful for grouping of symptoms.<br>(3) Factor analysis of symptom systems has not revealed the presence of the twelve classification of the Keiraku sickness described in the classics of the Oriental medicine.<br>(4) Mutual comparisons of the individual 5 way diagnoses derived from every information source have been made only to give a poor coincidence as a whole, of which max. is 30% and min. is 13%.<br>(5) The Five Component Theory of the Oriental physiotherapy proved to be statistically scarcely significant.