• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.99-109
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• 2002

We designed the experiments to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effect of low power laser stimulation on acupoint or non-acupoint using arthrogenic solution induced poly arthritis animal model. In order to achieve the experimental purpose, change in body weight paw edema, pathological changes in inflammed pint and the serum interlukin-6 level were measured after arthritis induction in acupoint later stimulated group, non acupoint laser stimulated group and non treated control animal. The results were summerized as follows: 1. The consistent increase in body weight was observed in the normal animal during whole experimental period, while the induction of arthritis significantly suppressed increase in body weight from the 15 day after arthritis induction. Especially, non treated animal group showed more suppressive effect on increase in body weight as compared to that of low power laser stimulated groups (P<0.05). 2. Low power laser stimulation on acupoint (Zusanli) significantly inhibited edema in the left side paw from the 12th day after arthritis induction as compared to that of non treated animals. This suppressive effect on paw edema was maintained until the end of experiment. 3. Laser treatment on acupoint dramatically suppressed the radiological change (i.e. new bone proliferation and soft tissue swelling) caused by arthritis as compared to that of non treated group animals. 4. Low power laser treatment reduced the increase in serum interlukin-6 caused by arthritis induction to levels observed in the normal animals. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that low power laser stimulation on acupoint has potent anti-inflammatory effect on arthritis. Thus it is recommended that low power laser be used for long term treatment of arthritis induced inflammation. However, further study is necessary to clarify the possible side effect of laser treatment depending upon intensity and duration of stimulation.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.180-189
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• 2003

The experiments were designated to evaluate the anti-nociceptive effect of low power laser stimulation on acupoint or non-acupoint using arthrogenic solution induced poly arthritis animal model. Evaluation of potential antinociceptive effect of low power laser on arthritis has employed measurements of the foot bending test, the development of either thermal or mechanical hyperalgesia following the arthritis induction. The analysis of thermal hyperalgesia includes Hargreaves's method. Randall-Sellitto test was utilized for evaluating mechanical hyperalgesia. In addition, the antinociceptive effect of low power laser stimulation on arthritis induced spinal Fos expression was analyzed using a computerized image analysis system. The results were summerized as follows: 1. In laser stimulation on acupoint treated animal, laser stimulation dramatically inhibited the development of pain in foot bending test as compared to those of non acupoint treated animal group and non treated animal group. 2. The threshold of thermal stimulation was significantly increased by low power laser stimulation on acupoint as compared to that of non treated control group. 3. Laser stimulation on acupoint dramatically attenuated the development of mechanical hyperalgesia as compared to that of non treated group. 4. Low power laser stimulation on acupoint significantly suppressed arthritis induced Fos expression in the lumbar spinal cord at 3 week post arthritis induction. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that low power laser stimulation on acupoint has potent anti-nociceptive effect on arthritis. Additional supporting data for an antinociceptive effect of laser stimulation was obtained using Fos immunohistochemical analysis on spinal cord section. Those data indicated that laser stimulation induced antinociception was mediated by suppression of spinal neuron activity in pain sensation.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.225-231
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• 2001

Objective : Modern acupuncture research often utilizes the methodology of animal experiment where animal acupoints(AA) are stimulated and the results observed. There hasn't been any consensus on the AA locations yet, but it is integral for the locations to be defined in detail for any animal experiment. Methods : The review of 24 original articles published in the Journal of Korean Acupuncture and Moxibustion Society for recent one year which utilized animal experiment methodology revealed that AA are located primarily by the method of transposition from human acupoints. Only a few of those AA were defined in detail. ST-36, CV-12, GB-34, BL-23 were among the most frequently used AA. Results & Conculsion : Transpositional Ⅲ acupoint system of mouse is proposed, which includes 3 points of LU meridian, 4 of LI, 10 of ST, 8 of SP, 3 of HT, 4 of SI, 26 of BL, 2 of KI, 4 of PC, 3 of TE, I1 of GB, 6 of LR, 8 of CV and 19 of GV.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.85-98
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• 2007

Objectives : Standardization and clear description of locating acupuncture points guarantees reproducibility and credibility of the results in animal studies of acupuncture points and meridians. In this study, we aimed at analyzing the acupoint description of the previous experimental studies and suggesting guidelines for related journals. Methods : We searched animal studies where acupuncture points were used in Journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society and Journal of Meridian & Acupoint with a limitation of period, from 2002 to 2006. Data on experimental animals, acupuncture points and their descriptions were extracted and put in a predefined form. They were classified as one of the 4 classes; A) descriptions of the acupuncture points present, B) no description of the acupuncture points and only reference provided, C) neither description of the acupuncture points nor reference provided, or D) acupuncture point detector used. Two authors independently extracted and classified the data and the disagreements were resolved by discussion. Experts were invited to rate acupuncture point description validity on a numeric rating scale in the 11-item questionnaire. Results : Two hundred and five studies were identified and classified as follows; A) 32.2% (n=66), B) 7.8% (n=16), C) 51.2% (n=105), and D) 8.8% (n=18). Experts ratings were significantly lower for class C (mean${\pm}$SD, 2.14${\pm}$1.35, 95% CI [1.90, 2.39], P = 0.004 compared with class B, P ${\leq}$ 0.001 compared with class A or C) and no difference was found between classes A, B, and D. Conclusions : Reporting of acupuncture points in experimental animals is poor and validity and reliability of the result from such reporting is hampered. We suggest that journal editors and experts provide guidelines for reporting animal acupuncture points and adopt them into guide for authors for related journals.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.67-78
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• 2010

Objectives : The aim of the study is to draw a consensus in acupuncture point locations (APLs) which are frequently used in experimental animal studies. Well-documented APL is needed not only for human but also for rodents because stimulation of precise point is very important factor in acupuncture. Methods : We organized a committee with experts to reach a consensus on the APLs in rat. The subject points were limited to 22 points used in the papers published at international peer-review journals. To describe point locations, we adopted the syntax of sentence used in the WHO standard acupuncture point locations. Results : Locations of 22 acupuncture points such as ST36, LI4, PC6, and SP6 were described in English with photographic illustrations. Interestingly, we found that ST36 had been inserted into 2 different locations in rodent. Under consideration of practical use, the location of ST36 point was described in 2 different ways. Conclusion : We hope that newly developed APLs would be a good indicator of acupuncture experiments in rats and mice.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.145-158
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• 2020

Objectives : Mast cells, the multifunctional immune cells which can be activated by various stimulations, have been in the limelight recently at the fields of acupuncture research. This study aimed to investigate the association between the distribution of mast cell and acupoint specificity. We focused on the characteristics of mast cell distribution of acupoints in normal, pathologically sensitized, and acupoint-stimulated state. Methods : Literature searches were performed on PubMed and EMBASE for dates ranging to February 2019, by using terms "acupuncture", "moxibustion", "acupoint", "mast cell". Finally, 18 papers were collected by inclusion and exclusion criteria. To assess the quality of included studies, modified SYRCLE's risk of bias tool for animal studies was used. Results : Overall, the studies showed that the number of the mast cells was higher in acupoints than non-acupoints. After pathological sensitization, increasing tendency towards the mast cell number was reported in acupoints. The increase of mast cells was also observed after acupuncture or moxibustion. However, when the acupoint stimulation was repeated for several days in pathological models, the results did not show consistent tendency. In quality assessments, most of the studies showed unclear risk of bias. Conclusions : The studies showed a consistent trend about the association with mast cell distribution and acupoint specificity. However, we could not certainly affirm the relationship due to insufficient qualities of included studies. Not only the distribution but also the functions should be considered in further researches to identify the relationship between mast cells and acupuncture effect.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2018

Objectives : This study was aimed to investigate current status researches and to provide source in setting development strategy on Liver-tonification acupuncture(LTA) and Liver-sedation acupuncture(LSA). Methods : We searched databases of Pubmed, KISS, OASIS, Google scholar and CNKI up to February 2017. We included articles that using LTA or LSA as main treatment, using the partial acupoints combination of LTA or LSA, or using each acupoint of LTA or LSA. We analyzed disease, details of acupuncture and control treatment and clinical outcomes from included studies. Results and Conclusions : Among the included clinical studies, case report was the most used methodology. LTA used to treat obesity, myopia, bartholinitis, tinnitus, hiccup and sleep disorder, prostate cancer and tremor. LSA used to treat panic disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease and irritable bowl syndrome, herpes zoster and neuralgia. Obesity and tremor were the most studied diseases using LTA or LSA. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was the only disease which LTA or LSA have no therapeutic effect. Each acupoints was not used as a meaning of Saam acupuncture but as affiliated meridian acupoint. Since animal researches were not fully conducted, mechanism of LTA and LSA was hard to be proved. Thus, more clinical studies and basic animal research are needed.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.77-88
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• 2004

Acupuncture has been shown to have therapeutic effects on many mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse in human and animal studies. Maternal separation (MS) is a risk factor in the development of mood-related disorders such as depression. This study investigated the effects of acupuncture during MS by evaluating locomotion as behavioral markers of depression and by observing changes in c-Fos expression in the limbic system (hippocampus, amygdala and cingulate cortex) to elucidate the mechanism of the therapeutic effect. The employed acupoint, Shinmun (HT7), has been clinically used to treat mental disorders. MS for 7 days beginning on postnatal day 14 induced a significant decrease in locomotion, while acupuncture treatment at acupoint HT7 resulted in a significant increase in locomotion. c-Fos immunoreactive cells in area dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus were increased in the MS group, but significantly decreased in the acupuncture group. These findings suggest that acupuncture has an effect on the depression-like disorder caused by MS, possibly by modulating c-Fos expression in DC of the hippocampus.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.51-59
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was performed to analyze the toxicity and to find the lethal dose of the test substance Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture when used as a single-dose in 6 week old, male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Methods: All experiments were conducted at Biotoxtech (Chungwon, Korea), an institution authorized to perform non clinical studies, under the regulations of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). SD rats were chosen for the pilot study. Doses of Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture extracts, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mL, were administered to the experimental group, and 0.5 mL doses of normal saline solution were administered to the control group. This study was conducted under the approval of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee. Results: No deaths or abnormalities occurred in any of the groups. Also, no significant changes in body weights were observed among the groups, and no significant differences in hematology/biochemistry, necropsy, and histopathology results were noted. Hematologically, some changes in the male rats in two experimental groups were observed, but those changes had no clinical or toxicological meaning because they were not dose dependent. Histopathological tests on the injected parts showed cell infiltration in the male rats in one of the experimental groups; however, that result was due to spontaneous generation and had no toxicological meaning. Therefore, this study showed that Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture had no effect on the injected parts in terms of clinical signs, body weight, hematology, clinical chemistry, and necropsy. Conclusion: As a result of single-dose tests of the test substance Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture in 4 groups of rats, the lethal dose for both males and females exceeded 0.5 mL/animal. Therefore, the above findings suggest that treatment with Hominis placenta pharmacopuncture is relatively safe. Further studies on this subject are needed.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.257-264
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze acupuncture treatment methods and acupoint used to treat infertility in the last decade. The data were retrieved from 2010.1 to 2021.8. using national and international electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, OASIS, NDSL, and KISS). "Infertility," "sterility," "acupuncture," "electroacupuncture," "bloodletting," "pharmacopuncture," were used as search terms. All studies were mainly concerned with acupuncture treatment of infertility, but the studies which were not related included; (1) infertility or acupuncture treatment; (2) animal studies; (3) review/meta/protocol or clinical study; comparative studies and case reports which were excluded from this review. Only clinical trials for acupuncture treatment of infertility were included in this review (n = 18). For infertility treatment studies using acupuncture, polycystic ovarian syndrome was the main cause of infertility, the most common acupoint used was CV4, CV3, CV6, SP6, BL23, and the treatment effect significantly improved in the group receiving acupuncture treatment compared with the control group, or the group taking Western medicine alone. In some studies, the group using acupuncture treatment did not show side effects. Acupuncture is an effective treatment for infertility.