Objective: To analyze and compare the features and strengths of different methods for calculating the biophysical properties of meridian points, and thus propose corresponding suggestions to fully achieve the research and application value of biophysical properties of meridian points.Methods: We searched and collected the literature on the imbalance of biophysical properties of meridian points between January 1, 2005 and March 1, 2020 in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Academic Journal Full-text Database (Wanfang), Chongqing VIP Database (CQVIP) and PubMed database, and then analyzed, compared, and summarized the applied methods for calculating the imbalance degree of the biophysical properties of meridian points. Results: The current methods for calculating the imbalance degree of the biophysical properties of meridian points are diverse and can be summarized as the following three: direct comparison of the measured values of the left and right namesake points, difference method, and ratio method. The low uniformity of the calculation methods has limited the promotion and application of its research results. Conclusion: In future research on the biophysical properties of meridian points, multidisciplinary cooperation in terms of imbalance degree calculation methods, detection instruments, and health data models is necessary to achieve more widely applicable scientific conclusions and more generalized experimental results.

The meridian-acupoint has response function and effect function. As a direct reflection between acupoint and diseased area, the response function is the foundation of the effect function, and skin resistance of acupoint is usually used as an objective indice for research of meridian-acupoint response. Among the skin resistance-based researches on specificity of meridian-acupoint reaction, the selection of instrument is a key point. At present the main measurement instruments for meridian-acupoint resistance include dual-electrode device and four-electrode device. After analyzing the characteristics and inter-ference factors of different types of measurement instruments for meridian-acupoint resistance, dual-electrode device is suitable for qualitative analysis, for its control of interference factors needs to improve. The four-electrode device is good at quantitative research, for it is easier to control interference factors. Yet, there is more for research department to do to improve the instrument design by modern scientific technique in order to meet need for research.
Acupuncture Points ; Electric Impedance ; Humans ; Meridians

Acupuncture prescription is the key and effectiveness guarantee to acupuncture treatment. Proper selection of acupoint is directly related to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. Several issues were discussesed, which were acupoint indications, clinical syndrome differentiation and acupoints selection. Acupuncturists should grasp the acupoints characteristic and pay attention to syndrome differentiation. Also they should have flexible selection of acupoints and keep pace with research updates when facing clinical problems in order to maximize the curative effect of acupuncture.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history

OBJECTIVETo explore mechanisms of acupuncture for reducing of body weight.

METHODSThe rat obesity model was developed by subcutaneous injection of sodium glutamate solution, and the experimental rats were divided into a blank control group, a model group, an electroacupuncture group and a sibutramine group; blood TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C contents and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity, and serum leptin and insulin levels were determined.

RESULTSThe body weight and Lee's index, and TG, TC and LDL-C contents in the electroacupuncture group decreased significantly as compared with those in the model group (all P<0.01), the actions in the electroacupuncture group being superior to those in the sibutramine group; the HDL-C contents in both the electroacupuncture and the sibutramine groups were higher than that of the model group (P<0.01) with no significant difference between the electroacupuncture group and the sibutramine group; LPL activity in the electroacupuncture group increased significantly as compared with that in the model group (P<0.01); serum leptin and insulin levels in both the electroacupuncture group and the sibutramine group were lower than that in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), with no significant difference between the electroacupuncture group and the sibutramine group in the effect on insulin content, and the decrease of leptin level in the electroacupuncture group was more as compared with the sibutramine group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture can improve the status of high blood lipids, increase lipoprotein lipase activity, and regulate serum leptin and insulin levels in the obestic rat.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Lipids ; blood ; Obesity ; metabolism ; Rats ; Sodium Glutamate

Ninety articles on electrical properties of acupoints and 38 closely related articles with the time raged from 1950s' till present were retrieved and studied from Pubmed, CNKI and VIP databases. Conclusions indicate that most of the low-resistance points or high potential points of the skin are in accordance with acupoints. However, not every acupoint shows the property of low-resistance or high potential feature. The electrical properties of acupoints vary with the physiological and pathological changes of the human body. And the electrical properties of acupoints which share the same name on the affected meridians located symmetrically on bilateral sides of the body were in a condition of imbalance. However, the result of measurement can be affected by the type of apparatus, intensity, size and number of the electrode etc. Therefore, the future study should be focused on the reaction laws of electrical properties of acupoints under physiological and pathological conditions through selection of different resistance measurement apparatus and strictly control of the impacting factors during the researching process.
Acupuncture ; history ; Acupuncture Points ; China ; Electric Stimulation ; Electroacupuncture ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Meridians ; Skin ; chemistry ; physiopathology

Based on the retrieval of literatures at home and abroad from 2000 to 2011, the evaluation indices of acupuncture clinical trials for primary dysmenorrhea (PD) were analyzed. The results indicated that in domestic area the reports were more concerned with the improvement of clinical symptoms and signs while paid less attention on the objective evaluation methodology, on the other hand, the studies abroad generally took many kinds of scales as their evaluation indices and focused on the patients' quality and activity of daily life. The authors suggeste that our clinical research, according to the designed intentions, should combine the general indicators with the specific indicators of diseases to have a more comprehensive evaluation on the effects of acupuncture for PD in clinical practice.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Dysmenorrhea ; therapy ; Female ; Humans

Objective: By observing the body surface temperature changes of different meridian acupoints located at the same or adjacent spinal segments of the uterus during the whole storing and releasing process of the uterus under normal physiological condition by the infrared thermal imaging technology, to explore the specific patterns that the functions of Zang-fu organs are reflected on the biophysical characteristics of acupoints, and to enrich the functional specificity theory of the meridian acupoints, thus to provide a reference for discussing the biophysical characteristics of meridian acupoints associated with the menstrual cycle in healthy female college students. Methods: Ninety healthy subjects were included. Infrared thermal imaging device was used to detect the body surface temperature of the Yuan-Primary points, the Xi-Cleft points, the crossing points, the non-specific points, the unrelated meridian acupoints and the non-meridian non-acupoint points of the three yin meridians of foot located at the same or adjacent spinal cord segment with uterus, during the menstrual phase, the follicular phase, the ovulation phase and the luteal phase. The absolute skin temperature difference between the left and right acupoints with the same name was used as the main outcome indicator. Results: The temperature difference between left and right Diji (SP 8, the Xi-Cleft point of the Spleen Meridian) during the ovulation phase was significantly higher than that during the other 3 phases (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the temperature difference between the other meridian acupoints and non-meridian non-acupoint points during the 4 phases (all P>0.05); the absolute temperature difference value of each meridian acupoint was not statistically different from each other in the same phase (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The temperature of Diji (SP 8) specifically reflected the onset of ovulation, and the thermal characteristics of Diji (SP 8) specifically reflected the physiological changes of uterus. The meridian acupoints reflecting the performance of Zang-fu function is not only associated with the spinal cord segment innervating the acupoints, but also associated with the characteristics of the acupoints and the meridians to which the acupoints belong.

OBJECTIVETo probe into the mechanism of substance-partitioned moxibustion in treatment of primary dysmenorrhea (PD) of cold-damp stagnation type.

METHODSThe treatment group (105 cases of PD) were treated with substance-partitioned moxibustion and the control group (104 cases) were treated with Chinese drug Yueyue-shu. Their therapeutic effects were observed. Plasma beta-endorphin contents in menstrual period were determined before and after treatment in 40 patients of each group.

RESULTSThe total effective rate of 95.2% in the substance partitioned moxibustion group was better than 85.6% in the control group (P < 0.05); after treatment, plasma beta-endorphin content significantly increased in the substance-partitioned moxibustion group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSubstance-partitioned moxibustion has obvious therapeutic effect on primary dysmenorrhea of cold-damp stagnation type, which is carried out possibly through regulating the plasma beta-endorphin content as one of the mechanisms.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Cold Temperature ; Dysmenorrhea ; blood ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Menstrual Cycle ; Moxibustion ; Premenstrual Syndrome ; complications ; therapy ; Thermosensing ; beta-Endorphin ; blood

Objective: To observe the blood perfusion volume variation pattern in the body surface microcirculation at the Yuan-Primary and the Xi-Cleft points during the menstrual cycle in female college students with moderate constitution under normal physiological state of the uterus; to explore the specific laws of the body surface microcirculation at the Yuan-Primary and Xi-Cleft points in response to the uterine qi and blood changes under normal physiological conditions, and to provide the experimental basis for the specificity of acupoints reflecting the uterine function. Methods: Forty-three healthy and moderate constitution female college students with regular menstrual cycles, without dysmenorrhea and not yet giving birth were recruited. Bilateral Yuan-Primary points [Taichong (LR 3), Taibai (SP 3) and Taixi (KI 3)] and Xi-Cleft points [Zhongdu (LR 6), Diji (SP 8) and Shuiquan (KI 5)], belonging to the three yin meridians of foot and adjacent to the spinal cord segment of the uterus, were selected as the detection acupoints; the crossing point of the three yin meridians of foot [Sanyinjiao (SP 6)], the uterus-related meridian acupoint [Xuehai (SP 10)], the uterus-non-related meridian acupoint [Xuanzhong (GB 39)], and the non-meridian non-acupoint point were selected as the control points. The laser speckle blood flow imaging technique was used to monitor the blood perfusion volume in skin microcirculation at the above points at the menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases of the subjects. Results: The blood perfusion volume in the body surface microcirculation at the right Zhongdu (LR 6) at the ovulatory phase was higher than that at the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases (all P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the microcirculation blood perfusion volume at the other points among different phases (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The blood perfusion volume in the body surface microcirculation at Zhongdu (LR 6), the Xi-Cleft point of the Liver Meridian, shows a specific response to qi and blood changes in the uterus of women with moderate constitution.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy for acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 66 patients with acne vulgaris were randomized into an observation group and a control group by the random number table, with 33 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking therapy, and the control group was treated only with auricular point sticking therapy. The treatments of both groups were performed twice a week, 4 weeks as a course of treatment, for 3 courses in total. The scores of skin lesions and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) scores were recorded before and after treatment to assess the clinical efficacy. Results: During the trial, there were 3 cases of drop-out both in the observation group and the control group. After 3 courses of treatment, the total effective rate of the observation group was 96.7％, while that of the control group was 76.7％. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The intra-group comparison showed that the scores of skin lesion and DLQI were both decreased with the increase of treatment times, that was, the scores were lower than those at the previous time point (allP<0.05). After 1, 2, and 3 courses of treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of both groups were statistically different from those of the same group before treatment (allP<0.05). At every time point during the treatment, the scores of skin lesion and DLQI of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point pricking-bloodletting plus auricular point sticking has a better curative effect than auricular point sticking therapy alone in the treatment of acne vulgaris, and has a time-effect correlation.