To determine the effect of moxibustion on blood flow in the gastric wall, gastric blood flow was measured seven times by H² clearance method at 30 minute intervals in 14 anesthetized female rabbits. Moxibustion stimulation was performed 3 times at one acupuncture point on the left hindleg (S 36 zusanli) just before the third measurement.
The level of gastric blood flow was high during the initial measurement after induction of anesthesia, and then gradually decreased in both groups. In the control group (without moxibustion: n=6) the blood flow showed a continuous decrease, but in the stimulation group (n=8) it tended to increase momentarily by about 1.5ml·min^-1·100g^-1 at the third measurement (just after moxibustion) and 2.0ml·min^-1·100g^-1 at the fourth measurement, amounting to 22.7±2.4ml·min^-1·100g^-1 at the third measurement (control group: 18.9±1.9) and 23.2±2.9ml·min^-1·100g^-1 at the fourth measurement (control group: 18.0±2.2). The increase in the blood flow was observed in 5 of 8 cases in the stimulation group. However, there was no increase observed in the control group. The increased blood flow in the stimulation group began to gradually decrease, but the values remained higher than the values in the control group until the last measurement. Significant difference, p<0.05, was found between the changes in the blood flow in the two groups.
Since the increment of the blood flow after moxibustion was supposed to be due to the vasodilation, it is suggested that moxibustion may cause the dilation of the gastric blood vessels owing to excitation of the vagal nerve and/or inhibition of the splanchnic nerve.

From ancient times the oriental medicine has applied the acupuncture therapy, choosing various meridian points, to the diseases of the digestive system.
Against the gastric diseases meridian points Tsusanli (S36), Yangling-chuan (G34) etc. are usually used. However, it is traditionally handed down that the puncture to Tsusanli tends to increase gastric secretion, therefore the puncture to Yanglingchuan is better for gastric hyperacidity than that to Tsusanli.
On these meridian points, its pathophysiological mechanism for the diseases of the digestive system of these meridian points still remains unknown.
In these paper, an evaluation on the change of pH value of gastric juice was carried out by using Telemeter for gastroenteric pH value, concerning Tsusanli, Yanglingchuan, Liangchiu (S34), and Waichiu (G36).
It was obtained that the tendency to increase the secretion of HCI in gastric juice in the group stimulated to Tsusanli and the group to Lingchiu, and the tendency to inhibit the secretion in the group to Yanglingchuan.

Although there are many unclear points concerning the functional mechanism of the head meridian points, clinically they are used in the treatment of almost every disease.
Using the visual evoked potential (VEP) as an index we used the points said to effective in the treatment of optical disease, the meridian points on the frontal and posterior head areas, and examined to see whether or not there is any relationship with the VEP.
As points of study we used:
1. Poists such as GB-15, GB-16, GB-16, BL-6, etc., the Chinese names of which make it possible to assume some relationship with the eyes.
2. BL-10, GB-20, etc. points generally used in the treatment of eye disease.
3. BL-8, BL-9, GV-18, points on the aspect of the head located in the periphery of the visual areas.
We classified our selection of points according to these three areas.
For the stimulation of the eyes we used the light stimulation apparatus attached to the encephelograph, set such that 1 stimulation per second was administered according to the signal of the electrical acupuncture apparatus. Records were made using a single induction electrode and double induction electrodes at me ridian points on the scalp.
In the results it was observed that compared with the meridian points in the periphery of the visual areas on the back of the head, (Group 3) the vibration amplitude was less with Group 1 and 2 meridian points however the wave pattern composition, etc., was very similar.
Concerning the appearance of VEP at the anterior head meridian points, from the fact that the latent period of the components was fast it can be thought that this has some relationship with the retina potential. We plan to supply further infomration and report on these facts.

In order to clarify the clinical significance of tenderness in the patients with low back pain, the tendernesses were measured on 32 points in 81 patients and 40 healthy volunteers.
The points which are well used in acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, were chosen as points for measurement, and are situated on the surface area in the low back and the lower limb.
In the measurements, the pressure of 5-6kg/cm² was given on each points by fingertip. The compression were made in turn from proximal points to distal points.
It was found that in the patients with low back pain, tendernesses appeared more significantly than in the healthy volunteers, and these points accorded with the tissues which were easy to accept the load in daily living and were along the nervetrunks. “Sharp tendernesses” appeared only in the patients.
It was suggested that tendernesses would be one of a consultation to know the condition of disease.

In order to clarify whether the difference in the appearance rate of tenderness exist between the patients with abnormal neurological findings and the patients without them, the tenderness were examined in 81 patients with low back pain.
In the measurements, the pressure of 5-6kg/cm² was given on each points by fingertip. The compression were made in turn from proximal points to distal points. The appearance of the tenderness were significantly greater in the group with abnormal neurological findings than in the group without them (P<0.01-0.05). The marked tenderness appeared along the posterior branches of lumbar and sacral nerves and sciatic nerve.
It was suggested that the tenderness would be one of the important index reflecting well the condition of the disease.

Epicodylitis humeri lateralis is common in indivisuals whose occupations require frequent rotatory motion of the forearm. An ache appears over the outer aspect of the elbow and is reffered into the forearm. The patients with epicodylitis humeri lateralis were often treated by acupuncture therapy. We treated the patients by means of acupuncture therapy with silver spike point therapy and streching of the extensors of the forearm, in Meiji College of Oriental Medicine Hospital. In order to clarify the effect of our therapy, we valuated clinical results by using pain scale score. We treated 13 patients (male 4, female 9, mean age 49.2 years). In our therpy, acupuncture points and SSP points, which were on the area from the lateral epicondyle to the extensors of the forearm, were used. And we made the patients to do streching of extensors of the forearm. The pain scale scale score improved from 10 points to 3.8 points after the treatments, 15% were excellent, 77% were good, and 8% fair. The results suggested that our therapy improves the symptoms of epicodylitis humeri lateralis.

The tender points treatment has been widely used for both treatment and diagnosis, but there have been very few studies that have examined its diagnostic usefulness. Thus, the purpose of this study was to clarify the diagnostic importance of tender points. The subject was a patient who had osteoarthritis of the knee of Meiji University of Oriental Medicine Hospital. The relationship between pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and symptoms in osteoarthritis of the knee (painful knee motion) were evaluated with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale (JOA scale), a knee scale and the subject's knee pain diary (starting pain, flexion pain, walking pain and total pain Wong-Baker faces pain rating scale). After 40 acupuncture treatments, improvement was noted in the symptoms and PPTs. The changes in PPTs were related to the symptoms of the knee (flexion and walking pain). This suggests that changes in PPTs (around the knee) are a useful indicator for evaluating knee pain.

Treatment of tender points has widely been used for diagnosis and treatment, but there are few studies elucidating the usefulness of this approach to diagnosing knee pain. This study investigated the diagnostic importance of tender points. The symptoms and the pressure pain threshold (PPT) in osteoarthritis of the knee (pain and motion of knee joint) were measured in 45 patients being treated at the Acupuncture Center of Meiji University of Oriental Medicine. The change in PPT was related to symptoms of knee pain (staircase and flexion pain). It is suggested that changes in PPT around the knee joints are a useful indicator for evaluating knee pain.

【Purpose】 To investigate effects of physiotherapy on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), DOMS was induced in the elbow flexors of the non-dominant arm. We selected transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to examine effects of physiotherapy to the recovery process.【Methods】 Fifteen human volunteers were recruited. DOMS was induced by eccentric exercise. Subjects were assigned randomly to one of three groups (Control, 110 Hz TENS, 4 Hz TENS). TENS was applied for 20 min over the biceps brachii on 1 day only after exercise. Measurements of Mechanical Pain Threshold (MPT) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were performed as evaluation of pain. Measurements were taken before and after exercise.【Results】 There was no significant improvement in MPT and VAS among all three groups.【Conclusion】 It was suggested application of TENS on DOMS at the parameters used here had no beneficial effect.