• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.238-242
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• 2014

Here we described 2 cancer patients treated by acupuncture for abdominal pain as a complication of bowel obstruction. The patient 1, 43-year-old man was treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy for rectal cancer. Two years after surgery, he complained of acute abdominal pain due to small bowel adhesion band. Bowel obstruction and symptoms were not improved by conservative therapy like as fasting, keeping Levin tube, and fluid therapy. 4 months later, he could eat a little rice water, but ileus and abdominal pain persisted despite of applying opiod drug and patch. Got started on acupuncture, electroacupuncture(ST-36) and moxa treatment, pain was relived gradually. He could stop opioids 1 month later and ileus was improved after acupuncture therapy for 2 months. The patient 2, 65-year-old woman got hepatectomy, cholecystectomy, and chemotherapy with cholangiocarcinoma. 6 months after surgery, she got laparotomy again for biopsy of new mass around ascending colon. She started eating after gas passing, but felt abdominal distension. Diffuse paralytic ileus was diagnosed by abdominal X-ray, and she got started conservative therapy. During ST-36 electroacupuncture therapy, symptoms like abdominal pain and distension were improved and could stop opiod patch. But eating aggravated ileus again and clinical finding of mechanical bowel obstruction was appeared. Based on these cases, acupuncture and moxa therapy could be helpful for improving abdominal pain and ileus, but possibility of malignant bowel obstruction should be considered especially in cancer patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.59-66
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture on pain threshold and 5-HT synthesis in raphe magnus nucleus of dog brain stem following nociception induced by 1% carageenan. Method: Twenty male dogs were randomly divided into two groups, a control group and an electroacupuncture group with the following parameters: ST36, LI11 and SP9 with 120Hz and 0.5mA. The dogs were sacrificed at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min after nociception using 1% carageenan injection into the plantar side of the dog's left leg. The pain threshold was recorded by an Analgesia-meter. After making brain slice sections, the tissues were immunostained with 5-HT antisera (1:2,500). Results: The pain threshold for the electroacupuncture group was higher than for the control group. The number of 5-HT immunoreactive neurons in the electroacupuncture group was greater than that of the control group. Differences between the two groups regarding the number of 5-HT immunoreactive neurons at 30 min and 60 min (p<0.05), at 120 min and 150 min (p<0.01), and at 8 days (p<0.05) were significant. Conclusion: The increases in pain threshold and number of 5-HT immunoreactive neurons in the raphe magnus nucleus of dog brain stem showed that electroacupuncture can attenuate pain transduction through the descending tract.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.118-132
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• 2003

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Joksamni(ST36) combination on NAD PH-diaphorase, neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS), neuropeptide Y(NPY) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the cerebral cortex of spontaneously hypertensive rat. Methods: The experimental groups were divided into four groups: Normal, Joksamni(ST36), Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9), and Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11). Needles were inserted into acupoints at the depth of 0.5cm with basic insertion method. Electroacupuncture was done under the condition of 2Hz electrical biphasic pulses with continuous rectangular wave lasting for 0.2ms until the muscles produced visible contractions. Such stimulation was applied continuously for 10 minutes, 1 time every 2 days for 10 sessions of treatments. Thereafter we evaluated changes in NADPH-d positive neurons histochemically and changes in nNOS, NPY and VIP positive neurons immunohistochemically. Results: The optical densities of NADPH-d positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) group in all areas of cerebral cortex and Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group in primary somatosensory cortex, visual cortex, auditory cortex, perirhinal cortex were significantly increased as compared to the Joksamni(ST36) group. The optical densities of NADPH-d positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group were significantly decreased as compared to the Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) group with the exception of primary somatosensory cortex. The optical densities of nNOS positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) group in all areas of cerebral cortex and Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group in auditory cortex, perirhinal cortex, insular cortex were significantly increased as compared to the Joksamni(ST36) group. The optical densities of nNOS positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group were significantly decreased in all areas of cerebral cortex as compared to the Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) group. The optical densities of NPY positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group were significantly decreased in primary motor cortex, primary somatosensory cortex, cingulate cortex as compared to the Joksamni (ST36) and Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) groups. The optical densities of VIP positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) group were significantly increased in all areas of cerebral cortex except for cingulate cortex as compared to the Joksamni(ST36) group. The optical densities of VIP positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group were significantly decreased in auditory cortex, cingulate cortex, perirhinal cortex as compared to the Joksamni(ST36) group. The optical densities of VIP positive neurons of the Joksamni(ST36)+Gokji(LI11) group were significantly decreased in all areas of cerebral cortex as compared to the Joksamni(ST36)+Eumneungcheon(SP9) group. Conclusions: The result demonstrated that electroacupuncture on Joksamni(ST36) and its combination change the activities of the NO system and peptidergic system in the cerebral cortex of SHR and that acupoint combination is one of the important parameters for the effects.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.444-452
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• 2007

Acupuncture treatment cures disease by regulating the functional excessiveness or deficiency which occurs in the meridian and visceral organs, and by letting stagnated Qi and Blood flow through the whole body and then controlling Qi. Whether or not to have Qi feeling is the main factor needed to manifest the efficacy of acupuncture. So it needs the very stimulus to make Qi felt rather than the simple stimulus. In order to have Qi feeling, it needs to acupuncture a patient according to patient's thinness or fatness, constitution, richness or poverty and age. And also it needs to vary the way to acupuncture a patient according to meridian, kinds of pulse, degrees of disease, new or old diseases, seasons with a disease and local areas of disease. In order to ascertain that it is important for the quality and quantity of acupuncture stimulus and the state of feeling acupuncture to get the efficacy of acupuncture, the experiment was planned to confirm whether the form and Qi of subject has different result according to the stimulated duration and depth. On the basis of the report that acupuncture on derma, when using electroacupuncture at Zusanli(ST 36) which denotes small intestinal motility, is more efficient than full depth acupuncture, I got the following result, after I observed whether the stimulated duration and depth give different efficacy according to the sex and weights of rat in experiment. The increased effects of small intestinal motility by electroacupuncture on Zusanli(ST 36) appeared after stimulating full depth for thirty minutes without distinction of sex and weights. This significant change was observed only in the female experimental group when I distinguished the sex. The small interstinal motility in rats by electroacupuncture at zusanli(ST 36) decreased in the 10 minutes' stimulated group and 30 minutes' stimulated group by duration on the one hand, and derma-deep stimulated group and full depth stimulated group by the depth of stimulus on the other hand, as the weights increased. This result shows that the duration and depth of acupuncture depends on the differences of acupuncture points, sex of the experimental animals, ages, and, weights. And the further study on the experimental and clinical differences and sextual differences need to be continued on.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.117-130
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• 2003

To study the analgesic and effect and its mechanism of eletroacupunture(EA) on the chronic inflammatory pain 50 rats were induced with arthralgesia by injecting complete freund's adjuvant(CFA). Two weeks after the injection of CFA, EA stimulation(2Hz, 0.07mA, 0.3ms) was delivered to Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) for 20 minutes. Analgesic effect was evaluated by using the tail flick latency(TFL) and the analgesic mechanism was observed by applying TFL with the pretreatment with naloxone and yohimbine. The results were as follows ; 1. TFL level for the model of adjuvant-induced arthritis decreased as time went by and it induced the hyperalgesia. 2. EA stimulation delivered to Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) for 20 minutes in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis brought analgesic effect and its effect had lasted for 40 minutes after the stimulation. 3. The analgesic effect of Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) EA in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis was blocked by pretreatment with naloxone(2mg/kg,i.p). This result suggests that the EA effect on the chronic inflammatory pain can be related to the endogenous opioid mechanism. 4. The analgesic effect of Jogsamni($ST_{36}$) EA in the rat model of adjuvant-induced arthritis was blocked by pretreatment with naloxone(2mg/kg,i.p). This result suggests that the EA effect on the chronic inflammatory pain can be related to the ${\alpha}_2$-adrenergic mechanism.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.145-156
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• 2003

Objective : This study is to investigate the effect of electro-acupuncture ST36 on altered transmission of afferent somatosensory information caused by amyloid-${\beta}$(A-${\beta}$) that caused Alzheimer's disease. Methods : The effects of topical application of A-${\beta}$, A-${\beta}$ with ST36, aggregated A-${\beta}$(aA-${\beta}$), aA-${\beta}$ with ST36 and ST36 on the afferent sensory transmission to the neurons in the primary somatosensory(SI) cortex was observed in anesthetized rats. Quantitative determination of the effects of A-${\beta}$, A-${\beta}$ with ST36, aA-${\beta}$, aA-${\beta}$ with ST36 and ST36 was made by generating poststimulus time histogram of evoked response of individual cortical neuron by electrical stimulation of the receptive located in peripheral area(forepaw) Results : The results obtained in present study were summerized as follow : 1. Application of physiological concentrative 0.5 nM A-${\beta}$ caused afferent sensory transmission of SI cortex facilitated. 0.5 nM A-${\beta}$ with ST36 exerted much stronger effects than 0.5 nM A-${\beta}$ alone. 2. Application of $10{\mu}M$ A-${\beta}$ caused afferent sensory transmission of SI cortex unchangeable. But $10{\mu}M$ A-${\beta}$ with ST36 is facilitated at 30 min of post-drug period 3. Application of $10{\mu}M$ aA-${\beta}$ caused afferent sensory transmission of SI cortex diminished. $10{\mu}M$ aA-${\beta}$ with ST36 is diminished after 15min of post-drug period but is facilitated after 75min.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.59-71
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• 2019

Acupuncture treatment for oculomotor nerve palsy has been increasing recently. This study analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and case reports, using the Cochrane risk of bias tool to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture therapy for oculomotor nerve palsy. This analysis was performed on March 7, 2019, using online databases (PubMed, Cochrane, NDSL, OASIS, CNKI) where 208 articles were retrieved. Of these, there were 18 case reports and 18 RCTs that matched the inclusion criteria, of which 32 studies used acupuncture as the primary intervention, 1 used pharmacopuncture, 1 used fire-needling, and 1 used electroacupuncture. The most commonly used acupoints were BL1, BL2, ST2, TE23, Ex-HN5, LI4, GB14, ST36, GB20 and GB1. Significant findings were reported in all RCTs. Six adverse events were reported in 3 RCTs, with no effect on the outcome. No side effects were reported in the case reports. The risk-of-bias analysis showed that the articles did not report the experimental protocol used and it was not clear whether the study was blinded. Hence, it was difficult to assess the risk of bias. Analysis of 36 studies showed that acupuncture therapy for oculomotor nerve palsy was effective in many cases. It was difficult to evaluate the potential bias.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.25-34
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• 2012

Objectives : This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fixed-intensity and varied-intensity electroacupuncture in pain and sensory threshold concerning parameters visual analogue scale(VAS), brief pain inventory(BPI) and quantitative sensory testing(QST), among chronic tension headache patients. Methods : Thirty patients with chronic tension headache were randomly assigned to three groups and received different kinds of electroacupuncture at $ST_{36}$ and $ST_{37}$. Group A received fixed-intensity electroacupuncture(fixed-EA), group B received varied-intensity electroacupuncture (varied-EA), and group C received only acupuncture treatment without electrical stimulation as a control group. The intervention was given three times per week, and continued in two weeks. All the experiments were conducted blindly. Results : Fixed-EA group showed a significant decrease of VAS and BPI compared to the baseline measurement, while both varied-EA and control group did not. Of the parameters of QST, subtraction of heat pain threshold(HPT) and cold pain threshold(CPT) slightly increased in all groups, but this was not significant. Conclusions : These results suggest that fixed-EA reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with chronic tension headache and that acupuncture may regulate patient's pain sensitivity through changing sensory threshold.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.191-199
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• 2009

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture and herbal medicine in patients who had hvpoactivity of the gastric vagus nerve and pyloric valve disturbance simultaneously with function dyspepsia by bowel sounds analysis. Methods : Bowel sounds of 10 patients (male 1, female 9) were recorded and their % of bowel sound (%BS) and ratio of dominant frequency (DF) were analyzed before and after treatment. Hypoactivity of the gastric vagus nerve was considered if % BS was <6%. and pyloric valve disturbance was accepted if DF ratio (e.g.. postprandial DF/fasting DF) was <1. Electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36, 3Hz, 30 minutes) and manual acupuncture at other meridian points were applied daily for 2 weeks. Herbal medicine, Pyengwi-san. was administered to all patients (100cc, 3 times/day). Results : DF ratio significantly increased from $0.93\pm0.06$ to $1.06\pm0.04$ after treatment for 2 weeks (p=0.005). 9 of 10 patients were improved to DF ratio>1. %BS also increased from $2.97\pm1.17%$ to $4.49\pm4.27%$. not significantly. 3 patients showed a remarkable elevation, and their %BS reached >6% of normal value. Conclusions : Combined effect of electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36), manual acupuncture. and Pyengwi-san was shown effective in the improvement of pyloric valve disturbance more than hypoactivity of gastric vagus nerve on patients with functional dyspepsia.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2019

Objectives : The aim of this study is to review the current trends in experimental studies on the acupuncture moxibustion treatment for visceral hypersensitivity. Methods : PubMed was searched for experimental studies about visceral hypersensitivity and acupuncture/moxibustion. Data were extracted and tabulated from the selected articles about experimental method, intervention, result and mechanism. Results : Total 23 articles were reviewed. Chronic visceral hypersensitivity animal model was applied in 17 studies (74%). Visceral hypersensitivity was measured by abdominal withdrawal reflex scoring or/and abdominal electromyogram. Acupoints like ST25, ST36, ST37, BL25, LI11, BL32 and PC6 were treated by electroacupuncture or moxibustion. All articles reported that electroacupuncture or moxibustion treatment is significantly effective in reducing visceral hypersensitivity. Treatment mechanisms were studied, related to mast cell, serotonin (5-HT) and receptor (5-HT3R and 5-HT4R), substance P (SP), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), c-fos positive cell, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), purinergic 2X (P2X)2, P2X3, P2X4, P2X7, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NR1 and NR2B), prokinectin (PK) 1 and PK2. Conclusions : Evidences on acupuncture/moxibustion treatment for visceral hypersensitivity in animal studies warrant more research on effective acupoins, electro-acupuncture methods and treatment durations.