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The administration of kainic acid (KA) causes seizures and produces neurodegeneration in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells. The present study investigated a possible role of acupuncture in reducing hippocampal cell death and inflammatory events, using a mouse model of kainic acid-induced epilepsy. Male C57BL/6 mice received acupuncture treatments at acupoint HT8 or in the tail area bilaterally once a day for 2 days and again immediately after an intraperitoneal injection of KA (30 mg/kg). HT8 is located on the palmar surface of the forelimbs, between the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones. Twenty-four hours after the KA injection, neuronal cell survival, the activations of microglia and astrocytes, and mRNA expression of two proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were measured in the hippocampus. Acupuncture stimulation at HT8, but not in the tail area, significantly reduced the KA-induced seizure, neuron death, microglial and astrocyte activations, and IL-1β mRNA expression in the hippocampus. The acupuncture stimulation also decreased the mRNA expression of TNF-α, but it was not significant. These results indicate that acupuncture at HT8 can inhibit hippocampal cell death and suppress KA-induced inflammatory events, suggesting a possible role for acupuncture in the treatment of epilepsy.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of different acupuncture insertion velocities.This study was performed as a within-subject design to control for individual differences. The biomechanical properties of needle insertion and accompanying subjective acupuncture perception was compared between different insertion velocities.The setting for this study was the laboratory of acupuncture meridian and functional neurology, Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University.Sixteen (16) healthy volunteers participated in the study.An acupuncture needle was inserted to the acupoint LI4 by an acupuncture needle insertion device (ANI-KY) at high or low speed of needle insertion.Biomechanical properties such as force and depth were measured online by sensors equipped with the ANI-KY device. Participants filled out a questionnaire about acupuncture sensation or perception.Acupuncture needle insertion at a higher velocity was linked with higher maximum power, lower level of pain, and de qi-like perceptions such as "compressing" and "heavy" (p0.05).These results suggest that needle insertion velocity might be a factor for controlling inadvertent pain during the acupuncture needling process and that biomechanical properties of needling may be related to acupuncture perception or sensation.

Summary Objectives In smokers, smoking-associated cues produce smoking urges and cravings, which are accompanied by autonomic dysfunction in response to these cues. We investigated whether or not acupuncture ameliorated cigarette withdrawal symptoms, as well as attenuated the autonomic responses to smoking-related visual cues in smokers using a power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability (HRV). Interventions Fifteen subjects were treated with real acupuncture (RA) at HT7 and 14 subjects received sham acupuncture (SA) at LI10 using the Park Sham Device. Main outcome measure The cigarette withdrawal scale (CWS) was measured on the third day after the subjects had quit smoking. We compared the low-frequency/high-frequency (HF/LF) ratio in the HRV of the RA and SA groups during a distraction task using neutral and smoking visual cues. Results The CWS of the RA group was significantly lower than that of the SA group. The increase in the LF/HF ratio of HRV induced by the smoking-related visual cues was also significantly lower in the RA group when compared with the SA group. Acupuncture not only ameliorated cigarette withdrawal, but also weakened the autonomic responses to smoking cues during withdrawal. Conclusions These findings suggest that acupuncture might help in smoking cessation by attenuating withdrawal symptoms and smoking cues-induced autonomic responses.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on the treatment of refractory sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), treatment of which remains a major clinical challenge.The study design was descriptive research to document the effect of acupuncture in a series of SSHL cases.The study was conducted in the outpatient clinic of Kyung Hee University Hospital.The subjects analyzed were 17 patients with refractory SSHL of more than 3 weeks after a failed trial of conventional treatment including corticosteroids.Acupuncture sessions were performed twice a week using a modified Saam acupuncture formula and such acupoints as GV14, GV15, and others, in addition to usual patient care educations.Improvement was defined as increased hearing threshold from initial measurement by more than 20 dB in at least two contiguous frequencies of audiometric testing. An audiogram pattern was also analyzed.The average refractory period before acupuncture treatment was 213.9 days (range 22-1460). First follow-up measurement after 9.5 times of acupuncture treatment for 29.9 days showed improvement in 4 of 16 cases examined (25.0%) and second follow-up measurement after 18.7 times of acupuncture treatment for 70.4 days in another 4 of 12 cases examined (33.3%). A total improvement rate after day 70.4 post initial visit was 47.1% (8 of 17 cases). As to the audiogram pattern, an ascending or midhumping pattern was related to a good prognosis, while a descending pattern was not.These findings suggest that acupuncture might be effective in refractory sensorineural hearing loss with failure of conventional therapy.

In order to apply appropriate acupuncture stimulation, different needle manipulation techniques are required. These manipulations are performed in many ways such as twirling the needle, varying the insertion angle, etc. The present study was designed to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of these manipulations to the acupuncture point ST36 on formalin-induced pain in rats.Animals were divided into four groups: non-treated control (CON), acupuncture without manipulation (AT), acupuncture with twirling manipulation (TM) and acupuncture with lifting-thrusting manipulation (LM) group. Level of pain was measured in formalin-injected rats in the early (0-10 minutes) and the late (10-60 minutes) phase. Several pain-related gene expressions were investigated in the spinal cord using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis.Formalin-induced pain was significantly reduced in the TM and the LM groups, compared with the CON and the AT groups. TM was more effective than LM in both phases. Needle manipulation was also effective in suppressing the mRNA expression of pain-related genes such as Fos, opioid receptor-like 1, tachykinin 1, tachykinin receptor 1, mu-opioid receptor and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A in the spinal cord.The TM and the LM groups showed enhanced analgesia, compared with the AT group. This effect might be related to the suppression of the transcription of pain-related genes.

In this study, we investigated the short term effects of acupuncture on autonomic control of blood flow in healthy subjects. We also studied whether deqi (obtaining qi) sensations are correlated with these autonomic hemodynamic changes.The experiment had a randomized, crossover design. Five healthy volunteers (age: 18-26 years) participated in this study. Acupuncture (2 Hz rotations for 10 seconds to 20 mm deep) was applied either to the acupuncture point SP3 or KI2 for 5 minutes. Non-invasively obtained continuous hemodynamic measurements of ultrasound Dopplerography were recorded at the radial artery before, during and after acupuncture stimulation. Cardiovascular autonomic tone was also recorded using power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. After acupuncture stimulation, the participants completed the acupuncture perception scales to measure the degree of deqi or pain they had experienced.Acupuncture stimulation to the acupuncture point SP3, when compared to the acupuncture point KI2, decreased the maximum systolic velocity. It also decreased low frequency component and increased high frequency component of heart rate variability, indicating that the decrease in systolic blood flow velocity was due to the increased parasympathetic response. Interestingly, warm, radiating and energetic feeling, which are related to deqi, had close correlations with the decrease in blood flow velocity.Acupuncture stimulation to the acupuncture point SP3 modulates the autonomic cardiovascular responses by enhancing parasympathetic function, and this may help to understand the therapeutic effects of acupuncture.

Four-constitution medicine (FCM), also known as Sasang constitutional medicine, and the heritage of the long history of individualized acupuncture medicine tradition, is one of the holistic and traditional systems of constitution to appraise and categorize individual differences into four major types.This study first reports a genome-wide association study on FCM, to explore the genetic basis of FCM and facilitate the integration of FCM with conventional individual differences research.Healthy individuals of the Korean population were classified into the four constitutional types (FCTs). A total of 353,202 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were typed using whole genome amplified samples, and six-way comparison of FCM types provided lists of significantly differential SNPs.In one-to-one FCT comparisons, 15,944 SNPs were significantly differential, and 5 SNPs were commonly significant in all of the three comparisons. In one-to-two FCT comparisons, 22,616 SNPs were significantly differential, and 20 SNPs were commonly significant in all of the three comparison groups.This study presents the association between genome-wide SNP profiles and the categorization of the FCM, and it could further provide a starting point of genome-based identification and research of the constitutions of FCM.

Deqi, an acupuncture perception asserted as related with a therapeutic effect and a surrogate measure of the activity of acupuncture treatment, may not be such a simple and single phenomenon as thus-far presumed. In this study, we investigated the acupuncture perceptions over six points to explore any pattern of individual sensory item intensity over different points and genders from 121 healthy volunteers using a sensory questionnaire with 20 items. Perception data were eligible for factor analysis. Factor analysis produced four subcategories of perceptions: pain (nine items), transmission (three), dullness (four) and soreness (two). Of the acupoints, large intestine 1 (LI1), at the fingertip, showed the highest rating in the pain subcategory and LI4 in the dullness category. Females rated higher than males in spreading and numb perceptions (P

Summary This study reviews recent advances in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) or masticatory system related neurology, and suggests the TMJ as a neurological window and lever. The TMJ is integrated with the brainstem centers via the sensorimotor system, including the body balance and coordination control systems. A dysfunctioning TMJ may reflect not only local problems, but also the underlying remote or systemic problems. Neurological examination, including balance testing, for example, may reveal the contributing imbalances and provide an additional evaluation of the appropriateness of TMJ therapeutics being attempted. Repetitive or tonic sensory stimulations involving the TMJ may be related to therapeutic interventions, contributing to neural plasticity, which may be adopted as a therapeutic approach in treatment of neurological disorders, including dystonia and movement disorders. TMJ related therapeutics, such as use of an occlusal splint, cranial manipulation, muscle/myofascial therapy, and acupuncture, ideally need to be practiced along with neurological monitoring, to ensure neurologically desirable effects.

Backgrounds: Acupuncture has long been a central part of medicine in East Asia. Recently its therapeutic effects are world-widely recognized with scientific bases being established by means of basic research and clinical studies in the biomedical sciences. Even though Korean acupuncture (KA) shares its origins with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it has developed into its own unique system. Methods: We assessed the unique characteristics of KA and discussed the potential contributions of KA to modern medicine. Results: Individualized approach by KA is based on constitutional energy traits which are considered as a main element in Saam, Taegeuk and eight constitution acupunctures. New practical and integrated forms of therapeutic modalities, such as herbal acupuncture or pharmacopuncture, have also been developed by KA. Conclusion: Given its individualized and practical characteristics, KA is expected to make significant contributions to the understanding and the treatment of neurological diso...

Background: Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) therapy of scalp and penetration acupuncture has been used for the treatment of stroke in Korea. This study investigated the efficacy of scalp and penetration acupuncture in combination with TKM medication. Methods: Twenty-four stroke patients were enrolled in the program. Control group (n = 12) received herbal medicines (Baepungtang, Sopungtang or Sosokmyeongtang) and conventional body acupuncture. Treatment group (n = 12) received scalp and penetration acupuncture in addition to herbal medicines and conventional body acupuncture. Improvements in the motor functions were scored by the modified Barthel index (MBI). Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, statistical analysis showed significant improvement in the MBI scores for both groups. Significant difference in the MBI scores between two groups, however, was not observed. Conclusion: The supportive effect of scalp and penetration acupuncture in the treatment of stroke needs further investigation.

Background. While therapeutic acupuncture perception (deqi) has recently been investigated only for the subject’s perception, classical acupuncture discussed acupuncture perception for both the practitioner and the subject. The aim of this study was to explore the practitioner’s and the subject’s acupuncture perception during acupuncture.Methods. Explorative crossover study to quantitatively document acupuncture perception of both the practitioner and the subject. Eighty-one participants acted as a practitioner or a subject. The practitioner’s and the subject’s acupuncture perceptions were collected using self-report type checklists. Acupuncture needles were inserted to LI4 or ST36, adopting a four-phase method: insertion into shallow, middle, and deep depths, followed by twirling manipulation. Pain, transmission, dullness, and soreness feelings of the subject and thick, tangled, solid, and empty feelings of the practitioner were analyzed for their correlation.Results. The practitioner’s and the subject’s perception showed a significant correlation. Acupuncture perception varied over four phases of needling, with a tendency to be rated higher when inserted deep. Perception for LI4 was generally higher than those for ST36.Conclusion. The practitioner’s acupuncture perception was successfully documented and analyzed in relation to the subject’s acupuncture perception and different needling conditions.

Maternal separation in early life can increase vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders over the lifespan. To investigate the effect of acupuncture on cell proliferation in the dentate gyrus (DG), 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-immunohistochemistry was performed in maternally-separated rat pups. Maternal separation, for 7 days from postnatal day 14, induced a significant decrease of BrdU-immunoreactive cells in DG, while acupuncture treatment at acupoint Shenmen (HT7), at the end of the transverse crease of the ulnar wrist, resulted in the significant increase in the number of BrdU-positive cells in DG. However, acupuncture at acupoint ST36, near the knee joint, produced no increase in the number of BrdU-positive cells. These findings indicate that acupuncture at acupoint HT7 appears to stimulate cell proliferation, and we suggested that acupuncture may be useful in the treatment of diseases related to maternal separation.

The biomedical effects of natural products have been increasingly identified. Korean medicine originates from prehistoric times and shares its origin with Chinese medicine. However, Korean medicine, compared with the Chinese medicine, is not well known relatively. Though Korean medicine and Chinese medicine have a lot in common, Korean medicine has developed its own realm by developing unique approaches and research—“Four-Constitution (Sasang Constitutional) Medicine” as one of the diagnostic tools and Saam acupuncture as one of the treatments. In recent years, Korean medicine expanded its usages, thus, by integrating both traditional and modern approaches. Korean medicine covers many complementary and alternative approaches that are actively validated and developed. These efforts in the field of Korean medicine have been, and will be, an important contribution to the evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. This special issue will introduce you to the history and current status of evidence-based Korean medicine with a focus on the recent developments. The following is a brief overview of the articles in this special issue. Biological activities of a compound or a mixture of herbal medicines in Korean medicine are explored on such conditions as nephrotoxicity, experimental colitis, vasoconstriction, cancer cell growth, multidrug resistant cancer cell growth, neutropenia, obesity and adipogenesis, adipocyte differentiation, cartilage degradation in arthritis, and inflammatory neuronal damage or on such an effect as stimulating osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. For the sake of safe and effective use of herbal medicine in Korean medicine, potential interaction has to be cleared. Interaction between herb and herb or between herb and drug was investigated. Traditional rules on combining herbs for synergistic effect were validated. Effects on cytochrome P450 enzyme mediated drug metabolism were investigated in relation to herbal mixture. Randomized controlled trials were reported on the effect of Korean herbal medicine on dysmenorrhea and obesity. A new real-time measurement system using a wireless inertial measurement unit was developed and reported to be reliable and effective in measuring three-dimensional cervical spine movements. As an effort to explore the diagnostic concept of Korean medicine, conceptual perception on pattern identification was explored with regard to a phlegm pattern. Recent developments on voice-based approach to Four-Constitution Medicine were reviewed. Tinnitus patients treated in Korean medicine clinic were shown to be on sympathetic overactivity with chronic tinnitus more affecting the autonomic indices. In this special issue, several newly developed treatments are also introduced. The effect of cosmetic acupuncture was explored on facial elasticity in an open-label, single-arm pilot study. The effect of newly developed temporomandibular joint therapy targeting the postural Yin-Yang balance of the whole body was documented in a case series study. Detoxification program involving fasting, fluid administration, acupuncture, and herbal wet wrap dressing was reported to be positive for refractory cases of atopic dermatitis. As an exploration on varied application of herbal medicine, it was found to be safe and effective in hypertensive blood pressure when applied as enema agent. These therapies warrant further study with more rigid study design. Seong-Gyu Ko Bharat B. Aggarwal Mingyao Liu Chang Shik Yin Dong Hoon Jin Bo-Hyoung Jang

It has been reported that acupuncture treatment reduced dopaminergic neuron degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) models. However, the mechanistic pathways underlying, such neuroprotection, are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the effects and the underlying mechanism of acupuncture in a mouse model of PD using 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). First, we observed that MPTP-induced impairment of Akt activation, but not MPTP-induced c-Jun activation, was effectively restored by acupuncture treatment in the substantia nigra. Furthermore, we demonstrated for the first time that the brain-specific blockade of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway, by intranasal administration of LY294002, a specific inhibitor of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, significantly blocked acupuncture-induced dopaminergic neuron protection and motor function improvement. Our results provide evidence that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway may play a central role in the mechanism underlying acupuncture-induced benefits in Parkinsonian mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate electroencephalogram changes, the electrical activity measured on the scalp, in relation to the items of acupuncture sensation questionnaire, based on real-life patients' experiences during acupuncture.Using a 32 channel digital electroencephalogram system, healthy volunteers (n=10) received electroencephalogram examinations over four consecutive periods: (1) baseline; (2 and 3) acupuncture needle retention only or needle retention plus manipulation in random order; (4) aftermath. Alpha, beta and theta band power of electroencephalogram acquired in 30 electrodes were analysed in relation to the higher or lower subjective rating of acupuncture sensation questionnaire categories: the needle insertion, manipulation and retention related items.The group with higher ratings of needle retention related questionnaire items showed significant changes in alpha band electroencephalogram powers over the periods before, during and after the needle retention, while the group with lower ratings did not. When analysed without grouping based on higher or lower acupuncture sensation questionnaire ratings, electroencephalogram band powers did not show significant difference among four periods of acupuncture stimulation except for two electrodes of alpha band and two electrodes of theta band.These results indicate that acupuncture may directly affect electroencephalogram activity and this connection may be reflected in the subjective questionnaire items, related to the traditional notion of deqi (obtaining qi).

'Health for All by the Year of 2000' was a motto of the World Health Organization (WHO). The aim of this study was to briefly review recent efforts to standardize and improve traditional medicine including acupuncture with a focus on the WHO activities for the abovementioned motto, acupuncture and neurological conditions.The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, along with the WHO collaborating centers, set standardization with evidence-based approaches as a main theme in traditional medicine. WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region was published in 2007, listing 3259 items of standard terminology. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region was published in 2008. They will improve the reproducibility, validity and accumulation of knowledge in acupuncture study and clinical practice, for neurological conditions in particular. Other activities in traditional medicine standardization were also performed.With the help of these standardization processes, 'Health for All' may well be established in the future especially for the neurological conditions, upon the structure of 'harmony in diversity', a harmony of Western conventional medicine and traditional medicine. The collaborative work between modern science and the traditional medical treatment, acupuncture, will play an important role in establishing this harmony.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture to the acupuncture point HT7 (Sinmun) on morphine-induced behavioral sensitization and the neuronal changes in nucleus accumbens and striatum in rats.Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given repeated injections of morphine hydrochloride for 5 days followed by 3 day withdrawal and one challenge injection. The acupuncture treatment was performed for 1 minute once a day for 3 days of withdrawal period and its effect on morphine-induced changes of locomotor activity and Fos expression was examined.The acupuncture stimulation to HT7 significantly suppressed the morphine-induced increases in the locomotor activity and Fos expression in the nucleus accumbens and striatum, as compared to the controls of non-acupoint or the acupoint on other meridian.These results demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of the acupuncture stimulation to HT7 on morphine-induced behavioral sensitization was closely associated with the suppression of dopamine biosynthesis and its activity in the post-synaptic neurons in nucleus accumbens and striatum. It means that the behavioral effect of the acupuncture can originate from the modulation of the same neuronal mechanism in the central dopaminergic system as in the morphine-induced behavioral sensitization. This modulation was also strictly confined to the stimulation of the specific acupoint, because the stimulation to other acupoint (TE5) on another meridian did not show the modulating effect despite being relatively close to each other. It can be therefore suggested that the acupuncture stimulation has an acupoint-specific property, and might be a useful therapeutic alternative with few side effects for treating morphine addiction.

Acupuncture has been known to be effective in ischemia, and glutamate excitotoxicity is an important factor for the neuronal cell death. We examined the effect of acupuncture on glutamate level in the ischemic stroke model.A global ischemia was induced using the method of 11-vessel occlusion in rat. Rats were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=5, with 11-vessel occlusion) and the acupuncture group (n=5, with 11-vessel occlusion + acupuncture). The extracellular glutamate level was assessed using an intracerebral biosensor system measuring 256 samples per second. Simultaneously, the cerebral blood flow was measured and the electroencephalogram data were recorded. The time schedule of the experiment was as follows: 10 minutes of baseline measurement, 10 minutes of occlusion and 30 minutes of follow-up monitoring. Acupuncture stimulation was applied to the acupuncture points GB34 (Yangneungcheon) and GB39 (Hyeonjong) during the occlusion period.In the control group, the extracellular glutamate level was changed as 135.19 +/- 23.76 microM (mean +/- standard deviation) from the baseline level. However, this increase was suppressed in the acupuncture group (72.20 +/- 27.15 microM, p0.01 versus the control group). The changes of cerebral blood flow and electroencephalogram were not significantly different between the groups.This result suggests that the effect of acupuncture might be closely associated with modulation of the brain glutamate release in the ischemic condition.

We explored the neuroprotective effects of bee venom acupuncture in acute 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease.Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: saline-injected control group, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-injected group and bee venom acupuncture-pretreated plus 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-injected group. Mice were injected with 0.02 ml bee venom (1 : 2000 w/v) to GB34 (Yangneungcheon) bilaterally once every 3 days for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks' pre-treatment, the mice were injected with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) four times in 2 hour intervals. Tyrosine hydroxylase and phospho-Jun immunoreactivities in the substantia nigra and striatum were observed 3 days after 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine injection.Bee venom acupuncture prevented the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra and striatum. Moreover, bee venom acupuncture attenuated 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced phospho-Jun immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra.We found that bee venom acupuncture effectively protected dopaminergic neurons against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine toxicity, possibly through inhibition of Jun activation. Our results suggest that bee venom acupuncture could be a potential preventive agent for Parkinson's disease.

Objectives A non-penetrating sham needle has been considered as a reliable control treatment in the field of acupuncture research. However, some concerns with regard to the credibility of sham needles have also been raised. We investigated whether there were differences in biomechanical properties and acupuncture sensation ratings in the process of needling between verum acupuncture (VA) and sham acupuncture (SA). Methods To quantify biomechanical force during needling in a cross-over design, we used a computer-controlled needling system. Fourteen participants received VA or SA at acupuncture point LI4, with no visual impact. They were asked to complete an acupuncture sensation form, including penetration, acute pain and DeQi sensations, and to identify the needling type they received. Results We found that there was a significant difference in insertion force between VA and SA (68.5 ± 12.2 vs. 27.2 ± 3.9 gf; p < 0.001). Participants clearly distinguished between the two kinds of stimulation and rated higher sensory ratings in the VA session (penetration sensation: 4.9 ± 3.1 vs. 1.7 ± 2.3, acute pain: 4.9 ± 2.7 vs. 1.9 ± 2.6, respectively; p < 0.01). Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that differential biomechanical forces such as insertion and pullout force contribute to the sensation of real and non-penetrating sham needles.

It is generally thought that cerebral ischemia is associated with extracellular concentrations of the excitatory amino acids. Stroke, one of leading causes of death and long-lasting disabilities, in acupuncture medicine field has been treated with acupuncture in Korea, which is known as a physiological therapeutic modality. Real time quantitative measurement of glutamate would be very helpful for evaluation brain injury during or after surgery, as well as validation of the instantaneous effect of acupuncture. For in-vivo glutamate measurements, we prepared the eleven vessel occlusion (11VO) in rat model. Changes in cerebral cortical blood flow were monitored by laser-Doppler flowmetry simultaneously with cortical glutamate levels by amperometric biosensor. A ten minute 11VO cerebral ischemia was initiated by pulling the snares on the common carotid arteries (CCAs) and the external carotid arteries (ECAs). Acupuncture at the acupoints of bilateral GB34 and GB39 based on the classical literature, was conducted during the ischemic period for 10 min. In comparison with the acupuncture and non-acupuncture group, peak concentration and the area under the curve(AUC) of glutamate release showed statistically significant difference between two groups. It is considered that the decrease of extracellular glutamate level in treated group is attributed to neuroprotective effect by acupuncture.

We investigated the feasibility of a future acupuncture trial in the symptom management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Twenty-five patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were recruited and given 14 sessions of individualised acupuncture treatment for 6 weeks. Improvement in symptoms was assessed using ACR 20, 50 and 70; disease activity score (DAS28); tender joint count; swollen joint count; morning stiffness and health-related quality of life using the Korean Health Assessment Questionnaire and the SF-36 at baseline and after 6 weeks. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was also assessed. At 6 weeks, 44%, 20%, and 12% of patients achieved ACR 20, 50 and 70 responses, respectively. Acupuncture also produced statistically significant improvements in DAS28, pain and global activity, swollen joint count, health-related quality of life (SF-36) and ESR. No major acupuncture-related adverse events were reported. Acupuncture treatment as used in this pilot study was safe and well-tolerated. The use of acupuncture for symptom management in RA warrants further investigation.

Locating acupuncture points reliably and reproducibly is indispensable for the scientific research of acupuncture and for assuring the best care of patients. Unreliable point location can produce confounding results for acupuncture research and clinical practice. Two traditional methods of point location are currently used, directional (F-cun) and proportional (B-cun) methods, which are collectively called the cun measurement system. Reports have been published on the validity of the cun measurement system in Australian subjects; however, as acupuncture originated in ancient East China, it is possible that anthropometric data may differ in Asian people and other races. Therefore, we measured anthropometric data according to the cun measurement system in contemporary Korean patients. The F-cun measurements were significantly different from the B-cun measurements and varied significantly according to the arbitrarily selected F-cun standard. In addition, we observed further differences of F-cun measurements in the extremities of obese subjects. We concluded that the F-cun method is unreliable and that further research should be conducted to determine a more accurate point-locating method primarily based on the B-cun method.

Although it was believed that the brain was incapable of regeneration after embryonic development, neurogenesis is now known to occur into adulthood. Adult neurogenesis has been demonstrated in the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Acupuncture has long been used to treat neurologic conditions, and recent reports suggest that neurogenesis may account for its beneficial effects. ST36 was the most often used acupoint in previous reports and was shown to enhance cell proliferation and neuronal differentiation. This acupoint may be linked to the brain through the primo vascular system, an anatomic structure thought to correspond to acupuncture meridians. This primitive vascular-like system appears to be involved in physiologic and pathologic processes by circulating substances throughout the body. The role of the primo vascular system as the link between the skin and brain underlying the beneficial effects of acupuncture requires further investigation.