We made the electrophotography which is able to visualize the distribution of electroconductivity to the skin.
According to an electric quantity, reducing KI into iodine, we got a compound of AgI with galvanochemical response and took a picture of a galvanic skindistribution on it. We may be able to apply both the A. C. and the D. C. in power supply. In order to take a good picture of electroconductive points, we used 12V of the D. C.. In this case, an electric quantity was
3.6×10^-4-4.8×10^-3W.Min./cm²

It is said that Ryodoraku reflects the dysfunction of the autonomic nerve in spite of no objective evidence for the theory.
Using 60 patients received right stellate ganglion block, we measured 24 typical determinate points of ryodoraku with a neurometer and an electrodermometer.
With a neurometer, an average current value of 6 points of the right upper extremity decreased in 52% as well as that of 6 points of the left decreased in 62%. Both the right and the left lower extremities decreased in 91% and 85%.
With an electrodermometer, the average impedance of the right upper extremity increased in 108%.
Finally, the sympathetic blockade showed decrease in a current value with a neurometer and increase in impedance with an electrodermometer.

In order to clarify the physiological nature of the local differences in the skin electroconductivity we measured transcutaneous electric current on the representative (determinate) points of Ryodo-Raku (by Y. Nakatani) which correspond to so-called Genketu of traditional Chinese medicine with a wet electrode of 1cm in diameter in the condition of D. C. 12 volts and 200 uA when, both electrodes are directly connected. Eighty-two healthy adults were tested once and four other healthy adults were tested daily for eight days. We analysed mathematically the values of measurements by the principal component analysis.
As a result, we found that the electroconductivity of the skin in the upper and lower limbs both, and volar and dorsal sites of the upper limb changed independently each other and showed from rough to close interrelations according to the orders as above-mentioned.

It has been told that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion suppresses the sympathetic activity. By using 15 patients, we made measurements of electrical current of the skin at the 24 typical determinate points of Ryodoraku with a Neurometer before and after electrical acupuncture to the right stellate ganglion.
After 20min rest in the supine position, average values of 6 points of the right and left upper extremities decreased with 30% and 27%, and those of the right and the left lower extremities decreased with 34% and 31%, respectively.
Immediately after 30min of electrical acupuncture, average values of 6 points of the right and left upper and the right and left lower extremities increased with 9%, 12%, 17% and 9%, respectively.
Twenty minutes after the right stellate ganglion block, average values of 6 points of the right upper extremity decreased with 16%, and those of the left one, the right and left lower extremities decreased with 9%, 18% and 14%, respectively.
These data suggest that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion stimulates the sympathetic tone by showing increase of electrical conductivity of the skin, while the stellate ganglion block shows the decrease.

We invented to clarify the influences of acupuncture on the regional skin electroconductivity on humans. An acupuncture needle in situ for a certain time or electroacupuncture using DC 12 volt, 200μA for 7 sec. was applied on the forearm.
Measurements of skin electroconductivity were done on several representative points which were distal or proximal to the acupuncture periodically.
A needle in situ and electroacupuncture on LI4 did not change the electroconductvity of the proximal skin area around the elbow level on the same extremity.
A needle in situ on LI11 increased electroconductivity of the regional skin on the distal area around Manus dorsalis.
Electroacupuncture on LI11 increased electroconductivity of the skin on LI5.
A needle in situ on LI7 did not change electroconductivity of the skin on the proximal elbow level, but significantly decreased electroconductivity of the skin on LU9.

Previously we reported effects of acupuncture to the stellate ganglion on measurements of skin electroconductivity by a Neurometer.
By using 8 healthy adults and 23 patients, we measured effects of electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion on carotid blood flow, deep tissue temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate in order to clarify the influence on functions of the autonomic nervous system.
After electrical acupuncture to the right stellate ganglion (SGA), the right and left carotid blood flow decreased with 4-9% and 7-12%, respectively. Deep tissue temperature of the right anterior forearm after SGA showed a little increase (with no significance), while the temperature increased with 0.4-0.7°C after the right stellate ganglion block (SGB). Deep tissue temperature of the left anterior forearm showed no significant change after SGA, while it increased with 0.1-0.3°C significantly after SGB. Systolic blood pressure increased with 2-4mmHg after SGA and this also increased with 9-11mmHg after SGB. Those increases were significant. While the pulse rate decreased (2bpm) significantly after SGA, it increased (4-6bpm) significantly after SGB.
Except the decreased pulse rate after SGA, the other data did not support a common hypothesis that electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion suppresses the sympathetic system as SGB.

Previously we reported that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion stimulates sympathetic nervous system while it decreases heart rate.
As it is said that R-R intervals in electrocardiogram (ECG) reflect functions of parasympathetic nervous system, we measured effects of electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion (SG) or traditional acupuncture points (AP) on the meridians (H7: SHENMEN and P4: HSIMEN) on R-R intervals in ECG by using 24 patients; 12 each in SG-group and AP-group.
Results are as follows; (1) Means of heart rate (HR) decreased with 1-3bpm in the both groups; (2) Coefficients of variation (CV) of HR increased with 1-2% in the both groups; (3) Means of R-R intervals prolonged with 39-47msec in the SG-group and 20-44msec in the AP-group, respectively; (4) CV of R-R intervals increased with 1% in the SG-group only.
It is suggested that acupuncture stimulates not only sympathetic nervous system, but also parasympathetic nervous system.

An accidental break of an acupuncture needle is one of the most serious complication in acupuncture.
A German Shepherd weighed 25kg was anesthetized with pentobarbital.
Then, unused 7 needles of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0cm long each were inserted at 7 acupuncture points.
The movement of broken acupuncture needles were observed by X-ray for 72 days and pathological examination of tissue surrounding broken needles was also done.
While broken needles inserted nearby the joints were found moving much around, others inserted in the region of straight bones stayed almost.
The dog was dissected 72 days after the preparation. Three broken needles were found just beneath the muscular fascia and two broken needles were in the subcutaneous tissue. Another broken needle in the lumbar region was penetrated into the lumbar spinal cord and the other needle in the region of neck was lost.
Pathological examination showed chronic inflammatory changes such as cellular infiltration and muscle fiber necrosis in the lumbar spinal cord and the thigh region, but little changes in the other four regions.

On twenty patients and ten healthy adult volunteers, pain threshold was measured by a dolorimeter (Pain meter NYT-5) to clarify whether analgesic effects of electrical acupuncture on various body surface may be changed by acupuncture points or not.
Electrical acupuncture was performed to the traditional acupuncture points on the two meridians. A group is the combination of LI 10 (Shousanli) and LI 14 (Hoku) on the right side, the other is the combination of ST 36 (Tsusanli) and ST 40 (Liangchiu) on the right side.
Measured points of pain threshold are (1) face, (the point 2cm above from the center of both eyelids), (2) (3) left and right upper extremities (LI 11; Chuchih) and (4) (5) left and right lower extremities (ST 41; Chiehhsi).
In the Shousanli-Hoku group, pain thresholds of face, both upper extrimities increased significantly. However, those of both lower extremities were not significantly changed.
In the Tsusanli-Liangchiu group, pain thresholds of the upper and lower extremities on both sides increased significantly. However there were no significant changes in the forehead.
In comparison of two groups, increases of pain thresholds of both lower extremities were observed in significantly more cases with acupuncture to Tsusanli and Liangchiu points than those with Shousanli and Hoku points by the Chi-square test (p<0.01). From this fact, acupuncture of Tsusanli-Liangchiu points seems to be more effective on the lower extremities than that of the Shousanli-Hoku points.
Therefore, we conclude that effects on pain threshold by electrical acupuncture depend on various points on meridians and are not evenly shown on the whole body surface.

A 73 year old female, who had suffered from serious bronchial asthma and had been taking prednisolone and theophylline, was treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine. Twenty points, which are so called effective points for bronchial asthma, were used for acupuncture, e. g. LU 1: Zhongij, LU 2: Yunmen, and CV 22: Tiantu, etc. As Ryoudouraku mesurments showed suppression of F3 (Kidny Meridian) and F5 (Gallbladder Meridian), the exciting points on those meridians (KI 7: Fuliu and GB 43: Xiaxi) were also mildly stimulated by acupuncture. The severity of asthmatic attack, the strength of cough and the amount of sputum were expressed by a scoring system, where the most sever one which had been experienced before was scored as 10.
At the initiation of acupuncture, the frequency of asthmatic attack was 5 times a day, the severity of asthmatic attack was 6/10, the strength of cough was 6/10 and the amount of sputum was 8/10. Recently prednisolone was successfully reduced from 20mg to 7.5mg per day with acupuncture and the severity of asthmatic attack, the strength of cough and the amount of sputum were improved to 2/10, 1/10 and 3/10, respectively.
On the other hand, % FVC, FEV 1.0% and blood gas analysis data were not improved.
In summary, we believe that acupuncture acts beneficially to reduce the subjective symptoms of asthma even when the dose of prednisolone were decreased.