Studies on the effect of acupuncture on inflammation in mice. I. Effect of acupuncture on vascular permeability / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The effects of acupuncture on vascular permeability in mice were investigated. The edema of a footpad induced by the administration of serotonin was remarkably reduced by acupuncturing the point at Kyoku-sen (Chu-chuan) mimicked the point of human either on serotonin-administered or non-administered leg for a period of 60, 45, 30, 20, 10, 5 minutes before its administration. Reduction of the edema was most remarkable when the acupuncture was performed on the administered leg for a period of 5 minutes before administration of serotonin.<br>The degree of reduction of edema of a footpad by acupuncturing was enhanced by dexamethasone. Actinomycin D, a potent inhibitor RNA synthesis and known to inhibit the anti-inflammatory action of dexamethasone, demonstrated no inhibitory action on acupuncturing which suggested that the acupuncture is effective by the mechanism other than that of dexamethasone which inhibits the increase vascular permeability by serotonin.