• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2018

Background: This study investigated the effects of acupuncture at Sobu (HT8) and Haenggan (LR2) on scopolamine-induced, cognitively impaired rats. Methods: Scopolamine-treated Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 6 groups; normal, control, HT8, LR2, HT8 + LR2 and sham group. Cognitive impairment was induced by scopolamine, in control, and then in HT8, LR2, HT8 + LR2 and sham groups. Acupuncture treatment was performed at HT8, LR2, HT8 + LR2, and a random acupoint, respectively, every other day for 2 weeks. After each treatment, behavior change was observed and the rats were sacrificed. The change in brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activity was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction. Results: Latency time to target in Morris Water-Maze test for the HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant decrease compared with control (p<0.05). Target crossing times and time zone ratios in Morris Water-Maze test for HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant increase compared with control (p<0.01). In the Y-Maze test the HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant increase compared with control (p<0.05). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, in the HT8 + LR2 group, showed a significantly increased level compared with control (p<0.05). Neural activity of acetylcholine esterase in HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant decrease compared with the control group (p<0.01), choline acetyltransferase activity in the HT8 + LR2 group showed a significant increase compared with control (p<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture at HT8 + LR2 restored scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment, suggesting acupuncture could be an alternative to improve cognitive function.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2019

Objectives This study is designed to verify the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) on both side acupuncture point GB12, GB20 for chronic tension type headache (CTTH). Methods Subjects aged 18-65 years who had suffered from CTTH for more than 3months were recruited from September 2016 to May 2017. Thirty subjects were voluntarily recruited and they were randomly divided into 2 groups; 15 to EA group, another 15 to sham-EA group. The treatment sessions were performed every 2-4 days for a total of three sessions over 1 week. The symptoms of headache were assessed before the treatment and after a week from the last treatment by visual analogue scale (VAS), headache frequency (HF), Korean Headache Impact Test-6 (KHIT-6). Demographic characteristics of all participants were compared between the groups upon using chi-square test. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to evaluate the values between baseline and follow-up. Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed to evaluate the differences between groups. p-values less than 0.05 were considered as significant. Results Before and after the intervention, no difference in VAS and KHIT-6 was observed between groups. HF of EA group decreased significantly compared with that of sham-EA group. Within the EA group VAS, HF and KHIT-6 decreased significantly after the treatment. Meanwhile, only KHIT-6 decreased significantly after the treatment in sham-EA group. Conclusions This study suggests that EA on both side acupuncture point GB12 and GB20 is applicable to improve symptoms in patients with CTTH.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.135-142
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to investigate hyperuricemia, renal inflammation, and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity improvement in a rat model treated with Scutellaria baicalensis extract (SBE). Methods: The rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 5 each), including sham, potassium oxonate (PO) injected hyperuricemia (control group), PO + 10 mg/kg allopurinol administrated (allopurinol group), and a PO + 50 mg/kg SBE administrated (SBE group), to investigate the effectiveness and molecular mechanisms of SBE. The effects of SBE on PO-induced hyperuricemia rats, renal inflammation, and XO activity were measured. Body weight and organ index of the kidney and liver were measured in PO-induced hyperuricemia rats, and serum uric acid level was extracted from whole blood and was measured. Renal inflammation was observed under a microscope after sections. XO activity was measured by liver tissue and serum XO levels. Results: Organ indexes of the kidney and liver in rats were significantly decreased in the allopurinol group than in the control group and with no significant difference in the SBE group. A PO injection for 5 days significantly increased serum uric acid levels in the control group compared to the sham group. Meanwhile, the SBE and allopurinol groups have significantly decreased serum uric acid levels compared to the control group. The SBE group revealed effectively improved renal histopathological changes compared to the control group. The XO inhibitor, allopurinol, significantly decreased XO activity. Additionally, SBE significantly lowered XO activity in rats. Conclusion: SBE can be used as an effective treatment for gout in the future.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.145-161
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture at Joksanmi($ST_{36}$) on Rat's aging by experimental methods. Methods : The author performed several experimental procedures to observe the effects of the EC-HAS at the arthritis. First, I measured the cell survival rate of the mice lung fibroblasts. Second, the incidence rate of arthritis and arthritis index of CIA were analyzed. Third, the levels of IL-6, $INF-{\gamma}$ , $INF-{\alpha}$ , $IL-1{\beta}$, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II were measured in serum and the level of $INF-{\gamma}$, $INF-{\gamma}$/IL-4 ratio in the CIA mouse spleen cell culture. Fourth, histological analysis of the mice joint was performed. Fifth, the expression ratio of $CD3e^+$ cells to $CD19^+$ cells, $CD4^+$ cells to $CD8^+$ cells, $CD11a^+CD19^+$ cells, $CD4^+CD25^+$ cells, $CD3^+CD69^+$ cells, and $CD11b^+Gr-1^+$ cells were checked. Results: 1. The hematocrit was meaningfully (p<0.01, p<0.05) decreased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the control and sham group. 2. The glucose, ALP were meaningfully (p<0.05, p<0.05) decreased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the control group. 3. In the activation of hepatic antioxidase, the catalase was meaningfully (p<0.01) increased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the control group. 4. In the liver, the NO formation was meaningfully (p<0.001) decreased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the nomal, control and sham group. 5. In the activation of splenetic antioxidase, the GSH was meaningfully (p<0.01) increased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the sham group, and the catalase was meaningfully (p<0.001) increased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the control group. 6. In the spleen, the MDA formation was meaningfully (p<0.01, p<0.05) decreased in $ST_{36}$ group in comparison with the control and sham group. 7. In the spleen cell culture, the levels of IL-6 was meaningfully (p<0.05) decreased in comparison with the sham group, $INF-{\gamma}$( was meaningfully (p<0.05) increased in comparison with the control group. Conclusions: According to the results, it is considered that electroacupuncture at Joksamni($ST_{36}$) is effective in increasing the activities of antioxidative enzyme and inhibiting lipid peroxides, and has an immunomodulatory reaction. In conclusion, it han an significant anti-aging effect and need more experimental study.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.161-170
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• 2013

Objectives : Our study aimed to investigate the sustained effects of sham (SHAM) and verum acupuncture (ACUP) into the post-stimulus resting state. Methods : In contrast to previous studies, in order to define the changes in resting state induced by acupuncture, changes were evaluated with a multi-method approach by using regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF). Twelve healthy participants received SHAM and ACUP stimulation right GB34 (Yanglingquan) and the neural changes between post- and pre-stimulation were detected. Results : The following results were found; in both ReHo and ALFF, the significant foci of; left and right middle frontal gyrus, left medial frontal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus, and right posterior cingulate cortex, areas that are known as a default mode network, showed increased connectivity. In addition, in ReHo, but not in ALFF, brain activation changes in the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, and the thalamus, which are associated with acupuncture pain modulation, were found. Conclusions : In this study, results obtained by using ReHo and ALFF, showed that acupuncture can modulate the post-stimulus resting state and that ReHo, but not ALFF, can also detect the neural changes that were induced by the acupuncture stimulations. Although more future studies with ReHo and ALFF will be needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn, our study shows that particularly ReHo could be an interesting method for future clinical neuroimaging studies on acupuncture.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.352-355
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not acupuncture of GB34 produces a significant response of the modulation of somatomotor areas by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. The acupoint, GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MRI scanner, functional MR imaging of the whole brain was performed in 12 normal healthy subjects during two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB 34 and sham points. This study investigates the activation of the mortor cortex elicited by a soft and an intensified stimulation of GB 34. Three different paradigms were carried out to detect any possible modulation of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) response in the somatomortor area to motor stimulation through acupuncture. Group analysis from seven individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6% whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. The present study shows that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T MRI environment, and acupuncture stimulation in GB34 modulates the cortical activities of the somatomotor area in human. The present findings may shed light on the CNS mechanism of motor function by acupuncture and form a basis for future investigations of motor modulation circuits in the stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.1 s.65
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• pp.146-154
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• 2006

Objectives : Siguan points (LI4, LR3) have been most frequently applied for various diseases, especially different digestive disorders such as constipation, abdominal pain or various intestinal inflammatory diseases. The fact that gastrointestina movement is closely connected with physiologic functions or pathologic process of alimentary canal led us to ask the question if Siguan points affects on intestinal motility. Design: To investigate the effect of Siguan acupuncture on the intestinal movement in both physiologic and pathologic conditions, we divided the experimental animals into 12 groups. Six groups were pre-treated with loperamide (0.5 mg/kg, sc) or scoploamine (0.5 mg/kg, sc) to suppress the intestinal movement and another three groups were pretreated with carbachol (0.5 mg/kg, po) to activate it, whereas the rest three groups didn't receive any pretreatment to be kept in the physiological condition. After the administration with charcoal meal, mice were acupunctured bilaterally on sham point or Siguan points as the manner of tap-stimulation, with the exception of no acupuncture groups. Methods : Mice were scarified in twenty minutes after the administration of charcoal to measure the distance of charcoal passage from stomach-duodenal junction. The effect on intestinal movement was presented by calculating the relative distance where charcoal arrived to total length of small intestine. Results : In physiological state, charcoal meal passed around 53%, and there was no significant difference between Siguan points and sham points groups. On the other hand. Siguan points-sitimulation significantly ameliorated loperamide or scoplolamine-induced suppressed travel rate of 17.3 % and 18.6% in sham point into 26% and 26.3% respectively (p<0.05). In carbachol-induced accelerated condition, Siguan points-stimulation didn't affect intestinal motility comparing to sham point group passed about 97.6%. Conclusions : These results postulate that acupuncture at Siguan points have a therapeutic effect by restoring cholinergic activity on pathogenically suppressed intestinal peristalsis, but does not affect the gastrointestinal motility in the normal or accelerated condition.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.208-221
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to investigate the current status of clinical studies of acupuncture treatment for depression using neuroimaging method, focusing on SCI papers. Methods: We searched for clinical trial studies of acupuncture treatment for depression using neuroimaging method in the MEDLINE (Pubmed), OASIS, and RISS database. Once the online search was finished, studies were selected manually by the inclusion criteria. Finally, we analyzed the characteristics of selected articles and reviewed the neural substrates of acupuncture treatment in depression. Results: Total eight studies were included in this study. The most frequently utilized modality was functional MRI. The most frequently selected acupoint for depression was GV20. Several studies revealed that acupuncture treatment could improve the symptoms of depression. In this manuscript, we demonstrated that neuroimaging techniques could capture the neural substrates associated with depression and acupuncture treatment may modulate the activation of brain areas which were impaired in depression in a different way from sham acupuncture. Conclusions: Utilizing neuroimaging methods to explore neural mechanism of acupuncture treatment on depression would be helpful in clinical trials and more efforts should be needed in this fields.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.75-75
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• 2003

Purpose: To investigate whether or not acupuncture of GB34 produces a significant response of the modulation of somatomotor areas by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study. Methods: The acupoint, GB34, located in the back of the knee, is known to be effective in recovering motor function after stroke. Using 3T MRI scanner, functional MR imaging of the whole brain was performed in 12 normal healthy subjects during two stimulation paradigms; acupuncture manipulation on GB 34 and sham points. This study investigates the activation of the motor cortex elicited by a soft and an intensified stimulation of GB 34. Three different paradigms were carried out to detect any possible modulation of the Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) response in the somatomortor area to motor stimulation through acupuncture. Results: Group analysis from seven individuals showed that bilateral sensorimotor areas (BA 3,4,6 and 7) showed stimulation related BOLD signal contrast of approximately 6% whereas very few areas were activated when sham stimulation is given. Conclusions: The present study shows that acupuncture fMRI study can be safely conducted in 3T MRI environment, and acupuncture stimulation in GB34 modulates the cortical activities of the soma- to motor area in human. The present findings may shed light on the CNS mechanism of motor function by acupuncture and form a basis for future investigations of motor modulation circuits in the stroke patients. Acknowledgement: This study was supported by a grant of the Mid and Long Term Nuclear RID Plan Program, Ministry of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.93-112
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• 2017

Objectives : To evaluate and summarize the efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment (AT) in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Methods : Fifteen databases (Pubmed, Cochrane, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, CNKI, Wanfang, and eight Korean databases) were searched up to September 2016. Only trials in which acupuncture was the sole treatment were included. Fatigue was used as the primary outcome measure, while the quality of life, pain, mood disorders, and adverse events were used as secondary outcome measures. We adopted three classifications: AT vs Sham AT, AT vs Wait-list, AT vs Western medication. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality. Results : A total of 11 randomized controlled trials involving 869 participants were identified. In comparison with Sham AT, AT significantly alleviated fatigue and pain, but no conclusions about the quality of life and mood disorders could be drawn. In the Wait-list group and Western medication groups, patients with CFS might feel less fatigued following acupuncture treatment, but the evidence was insufficient due to lack of study. Nine of 11 RCTs (81.8%) reported adverse events and there were two cases of mild subcutaneous hemorrhage, but no serious adverse cases. Conclusion : This review found evidence that patients with CFS may generally benefit from alleviation of symptoms by acupuncture treatment, and there is no evidence of worsening symptoms or causing of serious adverse events. A positive effect on fatigue and pain was observed, but no conclusion for improving quality of life and mood disorders.