Epilepsy is a group of chronic diseases characterized by recurrent and transient brain dysfunction induced by abrupt and intermittent abnormal discharge of neurons in the brain, which is difficult to be cured. Thee auricular concha are is he zone of visera in TCM auricular points, but also the innervating area of the auricular brach of the vagus nerve. Auricular acupuncture, as a special treatment, has superior therapeutic effect for epilepsy. In recent years, remarkable progress has been made in the theoretical basis and clinic application of auricular acupuncture for epilepsy, and the ear-vagus percutaneous electrical stimulation apparatus (auricular acupuncture apparatus) is developed for clinical trial researches. From the basic study to clinical research of auricular acupuncture for epilepsy, the epilepsy pathogenesis as well as the intervention pathway and clinical efficacy of auricular: experimental support and rich clinical experience for auricular acupuncture apparatus.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; instrumentation ; methods ; Ear ; innervation ; Epilepsy ; therapy ; Humans

Classical description of central pathways has been that there are segregated routes for visceral and somatic inputs, for pain and tactile processing. Ample evidence in recent studies however calls for a revision of this traditional view. It has been demonstrated that visceral nociceptive inputs may travel in the dorsal column-medial lemnicus system along with skin tactile inputs, and convergence and interactions between the two distinct modalities have been demonstrated in route to the high brain centers. In the spinal cord and thalamus, skin inputs may inhibit noxious colorectal inputs; on the other hand pre-existing visceral nociception may cause abnormally high discharge of single neurons. These recent findings shine light on mechanisms of central processing of visceral nociception and its associated allodynia and referred pain, as well as for the effects of some traditional therapies such as acupuncture and massage.

Objective To investigate the effect of the time factor on acupuncture effects by observing the changes of nitric oxide (NO) content at the acupuncture points in different times. Method The experimental study was done on 20 cases of healthy volunteers who provide informed consent. Among 10 cases of acupuncture group, 5 cases were male, 5 cases were female. Among 10 cases of non-acupuncture group, 5 cases were male, 5 cases were female. The age was around 25 to 45 years. Jianshi on Pericardium Meridian of Hand Jueyin and Weizhong on Bladder Meridian of Foot Taiyang was acupunctured. "Active"/"silent" time of points were projected with Ziwuliuzhu Najia method. Acupuncture was done at the points "active"/"silent" respectively. The changes of NO content at the body points were detected. The difference of acupuncture in different time at the body points was compared. Result NO content in acupuncture group was higher at the "active" than at the "silent", while there was no significant difference at non-acupuncture group. NO content was higher in acupuncture group than that in non-acupuncture group. Conclusion NO content at the points can be increased by acupuncture. Effect of acupuncture at acupoints "active" was more significant than at acupoints "silent". It was proved that the therapeutic effect of acupuncture can be increased by using time acupuncture.

The transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) was researched and developed based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) auricular acupuncture (AA),vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and anatomy.It is a typical representative of TCM modernization.Meanwhile,taVNS does not require surgery,with low cost,and has almost no side effects.Most importantly,it ensures a comparable efficiency as the classic VNS.The taVNS regulates the autonomic neural function as its core,opens up a new principle of peripheral nerve-brain network-body function,and has made breakthroughs in the treatment of epilepsy and depression.Other indications of taVNS contain disorders of consciousness (DOC),autism spectrum disorder (ASD),Alzheimer's disease (AD),and etc.The further improvement of taVNS technique will definitely benefit a wider range of patients.

Acupoints are surface reaction and treatment spots under the pathological conditions which have functions of diagnosis and treatment. For the study of acupoints, we can carry it out from the aspects of structure and function. The two aspects have a close relationship. Structure is the material basis of function, while function is the manifesta-tion of structure. Therefore, the study of acupoints is not only significant to reveal the essence of acupoint, but also has enormous value in the guidance of acu-moxibustion for clinical practice. Staring from the normality of structure and variability of function, we explored the essence of acupoints, and further revealed ordered regulation rule and its biological basis, so that the essence of acupuncture points will be illustrated with scientific evidences.

AIM: To study the interactions between skin tactile and visceral nociceptive inputs in the ventroposterior lateral (VPL) nucleus of the rat thalamus. METHODS: Visceral nociceptive inputs were generated by colorectal distension (CRD). Skin tactile inputs were generated by 10 Hz skin puff. They were delivered in sequence to investigate the changes in reaction to the test stimulus after the conditioning stimulation. RESULTS: Among the isolated 78 single VPL neurons that had response to both CRD and skin tactile stimuli, 44% (31/70) had their response to CRD reduced by the preceding conditioning tactile stimulation, and 54% (38/70) had their tactile response enhanced by the preceding CRD. The skin receptive fields of the majority of the cells were located along the caudal part of the Meridians of Stomach and Gallbladder of Chinese medicine. CONCLUSIONS: (1) Conditioning tactile inputs may inhibit noxious colorectal inputs, but this effect was short-lasting and limited at single neuron level. (2) On the other hand, pre-existing visceral nociception may cause abnormally high discharge of thalamic neurons, a phenomenon that may be related to the clinically seen allodynia on the body surface in visceral lesions.

The physiological mechanism underlying the acupoint sensitization was evaluated systemically by using the method of electric physiology at spinal cord, medulla, and thalamus levels; the dynamic change of acupoint from the relative "silence" to the relative "activation" function was explained through the study on the dynamic process of acupoint sensitization; the biological process of the therapeutic effect of acupoint stimulation was illuminated through the research of the central mechanism underlining the dose effect relationship between the sensitive acupoint and the related brain area, thus scientific evidence for the functional link between the acupoint and internal organs as well as the nature of the acupoint were provided.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Nociceptors ; physiology ; Sensation ; Viscera ; innervation ; physiology ; Visceral Afferents ; physiology

This study was aimed to choose the best fixing method of electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement in mice by comparison of ECG index in three different fixing ways. Changes of ST amplitude and heart rate in ECG were measured in the self-made mouse sets, tape bundling or breathing anesthesia state. The amplitudes of the ST seg-ment in C57BL6 mice and β1/β2-AR double knockout mice were elevated in tape bundling or breathing anesthesia state in comparison with that in the self-made mouse sets (all P < 0.01). The heart rate under the tape bundling state in C57BL6 mice was significantly faster than that in the self-made mouse sets (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). And the heart rate under anesthesia in β1/β2-AR double knockout mice was significantly slower than that in tape bundling state or the self-made mouse sets (both P < 0.01). It was concluded that relative to the binding and anesthesia method, fixing mouse in the self-made mouse sets, which can more truly reflect the physiological or pathological states, is a relatively good fixing method of ECG measurement in experimental study.

This study was aimed to compare the effects of acupuncture stimulation on different acupoints, which included LR14-Qimen, ST25-Tianshu, GB34-Yanglingquanand CO11-pancreas and gallbladder (auricular vagus nerve intensively distributed areas) on gallbladder pressure and Oddi sphincter function of guinea pig, in order to discuss acupuncture effect on different acupoints in the regulation of motor function of extrahepatic biliary system. A total of 20 adult guinea pigs of both sexes were randomly divided into two groups, with 10 in each group. The detection was made on changes of Oddi sphincter electromyography and gallbladder pressure before and after acupuncture. A double-hook electrode was implanted into the Oddi sphincter for the detection of Oddi sphincter electromyography. And one small artificial balloon was put into the gallbladder to measure the intrabiliary pressure. After the guinea pig was anesthetized, changes of gallbladder pressure as well as the electromyography frequency and amplitude index of Oddi sphincter of the normal guinea pig were recorded. When the guinea pig was stabilized, acupuncture was given on LR14, ST25, GB34 and CO11 for 1 min. Observations were made on acupuncture effects of gallbladder pressure and Oddi sphincter function of guinea pig. The results showed that after acupuncture on LR14 and ST25, the electromyography frequency of Oddi sphincter was obviously increased compared with before acupuncture (frequency:P < 0.01, amplitude:P < 0.05); the gallbladder pressure was obviously decreased (P < 0.05). After acupuncture on CO11 and GB34, the electromyography frequency and amplitude index of Oddi sphincter were obviously decreased compared with before acupuncture (P < 0.05); the gallbladder pressure was obviously increased (P < 0.01). It was concluded that acupuncture on LR14 and ST25 can obviously inhibit the movement of gallbladder and promote the myoelectricity release of Oddi sphincter. Acupuncturing on CO11 and GB34 can apparently promote the shrinking movement of gallbladder and inhibit the myoelectricity release of Oddi sphincter.

Objective To explore the feasibility of needle-embedding therapy in the treatment of chronic myocardial ischemia using a miniature pig model established by placement of an Ameroid constrictor at the left anterior descending branch (LAD) of coronary artery in Bama miniature pigs during surgery. Methods The miniature pig model of chronic myocardial ischemia was established by placement of an Ameroid constrictor at the left anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery in Bama miniature pigs. The pig models were randomly divided into the treatment group (the"Neiguan " group) and the control group (the "Zusanli " group), and were treated with needle- embedding electroacupuncture at the"Neiguan" (PC6) and "Zusanli" (ST36) acupoints, respectively. Myocardial samples were taken at 6 weeks after surgery for light and electron microscopic examinations. Results Gross pathology showed that ischemic area in the myocardium appeared in both experimental groups. The ischemic area in the "Zusanli "group was larger than that of the"Neiguan"group. Histopathology showed that the acupuncture treatment at the"Neiguan"acupoint reduced the ischemic injury in the pig myocardial tissues. Ultrastructural observation of the myocardium showed mitochondrial vacuolization in cardiomyocytes and myocardial fibrosis in both groups. Conclusions Acupuncture therapy at the"Neiguan"acupoint of pericardial channel may exert protective effect on the myocardial ischemia by reducing the ischemia-injury of cardiomyocytes, but can not inhibit the already existed ischemia-induced cardiomyocytic injuries. Our findings suggest that the establishment of miniature pig model of chronic myocardial ischemia by surgically placing an Ameroid constrictor on the left anterior descending branch of left coronary artery and the needle-embedding in acupoints is feasible for the treatment of chronic myocardial ischemia in this pig model.