• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.16-34
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• 2023

Herpes zoster (HZ) results from the reactivation of a varicella-zoster virus infection and is accompanied by moderate-to-severe pain in most patients. The most common treatment is medication; however, there are still limitations. Acupuncture reportedly has meaningful therapeutic effects and is a possible alternative option in HZ. However, no systematic reviews examining the use of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture (EA) alone have been published; in this study, we therefore aimed to systematically review those techniques. We searched for clinical trials of acupuncture and EA treatment for HZ up to October 2022. Trials that used acupuncture were included. Outcomes were visual analog scale (VAS) and effective rate. Secondary outcomes were time to pain relief, time to pain elimination, incrustation, decrustation, lastly incidence of post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). In total, 22 randomized controlled trials were included in this research. Compared with conventional medication therapy, acupuncture was associated with a significant improvement in VAS, effective rate, and times to pain relief and elimination. Times to new blister cessation, incrustation, and decrustation (days) were significantly improved. Furthermore, the incidence rate of PHN was lower in acupuncture groups. The results suggest that acupuncture could be a reasonable treatment option for patients with HZ who suffer from pain and accompanying symptoms.

• 한국한의학연구원논문집
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• 제13권2호통권20호
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• pp.149-155
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• 2007

Objective : Using a spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) model of essential hypertension, this study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) could reduce early stage hypertension by examining whether EA increased nitric oxide (NO) levels in plasma, which compensates for elevated blood pressure (BP). Methods : EA was applied to the acupoint, Baekhoe (GV20), and to a non acupoint in the tail at 10 Hz and an intensity of 1 mA for 10 minutes on the first and fourth day of the week for three weeks under isoflurane anesthesia. In conscious SHR and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, blood pressure was determined the day after EA treatment by the tail cuff method using an automatic BP monitoring system. We also measured NO concentration of blood serum in SHR and WKY. Results : Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were lower after 3 weeks of GV20 treatment than in non EA treated or non acupoint treated SHR rats. The NO level of plasma was significantly lower in hypertensive SHR than in normotensive WKY. EA prevented the augmentation of blood pressure, and also increased NO concentrations from $7.91{\pm}0.42$ ${\mu}M$ to $11.50{\pm}0.93$ ${\mu}M$ in SHR serum. Conclusions : We suggest that acupuncture may be an early intervention to delay the development of hypertension and enhance NO/NOS activity.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.70-78
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was aimed at examining the effects of the application of EA (electroacupuncture) at GV20 and LI4 in the early cerebral ischemia on the size of cerebral infarction, COX-2 and IL-6. Methods : For this experiment, 21, six-week-old male S-D (Sprague - Dawley) rats weighting 160g to 200g were selected and randomly classified into 3 groups, seven rats in each group. Brain ischemia was simulated using a modified Koizumi method which was performed on each rat. In the GV20 group, the GV20 of the SD rats was stimulated for thirty minutes with acupunctural electrode low frequency stimulator five hours after inducement of ischemia. For the LI4 group, the LI4 was stimulated as above, while for the Ischemia group, no stimulation was applied. Twenty-four hours after the experiment, stained cerebral tissues were examined and an immuno-histological test was done to examine inflammatory reaction Results : Out of the three groups, the LI4 group showed the smallest size of cerebral infarction and the Ischemia group showed the highest COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) expression value in the cortex of the cerebrum. In addition, the LI4 group showed the lowest COX-2 expression value in unknown putamen out of the three groups. Conclusions : We infer that EA, applied at LI4 and GV20 in early ischemia, is effective in delaying the expression of IL-6 (interleukin-6) and COX-2, the inflammatory agents manifested from stroke. In addition, application at LI4, rather than GV20, can lower the expression value of the inflammatory agents. Further, EA can be an effective way to block early inflammatory reaction in stroke.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.79-92
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• 2006

Acupuncture has acupoints to treat, prevent, and reduce disease and to recover health by meridian guidance and reflexion. In the oriental medicine, meridian and acupoints are the foundations of treatment. Therefore, in the clinical treatment, we have to decide the therapeutic methods, meridian, acupoints, acupoint place, and acupoint match according to the disease. This study was designed to investigate the combined effects of ST36, ST37, and ST39 using electroacupuncture in rats. The present study was conducted to see the effects produced by combined electro-acupuncture(EA) at ST36, ST37, and ST39 on small intestine transportation in rats. EA(2 Hz, 5mA, pulse duration 1 ms) was applied for 30 minutes at acupoints of ST36, ST37, and ST39. The results are as follows. Compared to other acupoint place matches, ST36(left)+ ST37(right), ST36(left)+ST39(right), and ST37(left)+ST39 (right) were more effective than ST36(right)+ST37(left), ST36 (right)+ST39(left), and ST37(right)+ST39(left) for small intestine transporation(+ means acupoint place match). In terms of acupoint placement, ST36(left), ST37(right), and ST39(right) were more effective than the other sides for small intestine transporation. The data suggests that we have to consider acupoint place and acupoint match for acupucture therapy.

• 국제물리치료학회지
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.136-142
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• 2010

This study aims to reveal how EA affects BAX and NF-kB involved in cell deaths from global ischemia, and to do this, observes the changes of BAX and NF-kB caused by EA application after transient global ischemia. The experimental method is to give rise to global ischemia and apply EA to 27 SD rats with the particulars of being six-week-old, male, around-300 gram-weighing, and adapted to laboratory environment for more than a week, and divide them into three groups, that is, GV20 EA group(n=9), L14 EA group(n=9), no-treatment GI group(n=9), and then observe their changes of BAX and NF-kB at the time lapse of 6 hours, 9 hours and 12 hours after ischemia, using western blotting. The numerical decrease of BAX expression at the time lapse of 9 hours after EA application, though not statistically significant, was observed in GV20 EA group and L14 EA group, and the NF-kB expression appeared statistically significant decrease in GV20 EA group and L14 EA group, but the expression was higher in the group with EA application. Therefore, EA application at the early phase of global ischemia is considered to affect BAX and NF-kB and play a positive role in decreasing apoptosis and cell deaths by inflammation.

• 한국임상수의학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.170-175
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• 2008

The present study was performed to investigate the anesthetic or analgesic effect of tiletamine-zolazepam (TZ) and electro acupuncture analgesia (EAA) in cats. Twelve healthy cats were randomly assigned to receive either TZ or EA. TZ group cats with weight of $3.65{\pm}0.48kg$ received 10.0 mg/kg of TZ intramuscularly. EA group cats with weight of $3.62{\pm}0.52kg$ received 5V, 30Hz and 60 minutes of EA. The acupoints used were Tian-ping (GV-5, +), Bai-hui (GV-20, -). Therefore, after and before experiment, some serum chemistry profiles (alkaline phospatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, glucose and total protein) and change of vital signs (rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate) were examined. All cats were examined pre, and 5, 25, 65 and 105 minutes after administration of TZ or operation of EA. The cats in EA group showed a smaller change in rectal temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate than in the TZ group (p<0.05). In both groups, total protein concentration was constant throughout the period of anesthesia, and the serum glucose increased gradually throughout the period of anesthesia. However, the cats in EA group showed a smaller change in alkaline phospatase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase within the limit of safety than in the TZ group (p<0.05). While coming to induction, the TZ group took a mean $2.4{\pm}0.7$ minutes to achieve sternal recumbency, compared with $10.5{\pm}2.1$ minutes by the EA group, and $3.2{\pm}0.6$ minutes to achieve lateral recumbency, compared with $18.8{\pm}1.9$ minutes by the EA group (p<0.05). When recovering from anesthesia, the TZ group took $164.3{\pm}17.9$ minutes to achieve sternal position time, compared with $67.7{\pm}4.6$ minutes by the EA group, and $202.0{\pm}15.7$ minutes to stand, compared with $73.0{\pm}6.1$ minutes for the EA group (p<0.05). In this study, the cats anesthetized with EA showed a more rapid recovery rather than the cats under TZ anesthesia. Also, there do not appear to be any negative physiologic effects associated with acupuncture-induced surgical analgesia. So, it was considered that EAA may be used effectively in shock, debilitated cats, as compared to TZ.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.130-137
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• 2010

Objectives: So far it has been reported that acupuncture increases cerebral blood supply and stimulates the functional activity of brain nerve cells. Previous studies have demonstrated that frequently used electro-acupuncture (EA) therapies for stroke increased regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in normal volunteers. Though ST 36-ST 41 EA is another prevailing therapy for stroke, there had been no report about its effect on rCBF. This study was to evaluate the effect of ST 36-ST 41 EA on rCBF in normal volunteers using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and statistical parametric mapping (SPM). Methods: In the resting state, $^{99m}Tc$-ECD brain SPECT scans were performed on 10 normal volunteers (5 males, 5 female, mean age $23.6{\pm}0.5$ years). On the other study day, 7 days after the resting examination, 15 minutesEA were applied at ST 36 and ST 41 on the right side of the subjects. Immediately after ST36-ST41 EA, the second SPECT images were obtained in the same manner as the resting state. Significant increases and decreases of rCBF after EA were estimated by comparing their SPECT images with those of the resting state using paired t statistics at every voxel, which were analyzed by SPM with a threshold of p = 0.01, uncorrected (extent threshold: k=100 voxels). Results: EA applied at the right ST36-ST41 significantly increased rCBF in the right inferior parietal lobule (Brodmann area [BA] 40), right retrosubicular area (BA 48), left inferior parietal lobule (BA 40), left middle temporal gyrus (BA 21), left fusiform gyrus (BA 37), left inferior parietal lobule (BA 39), left inferior temporal gyrus (BA 20), and left somatosensory association cortex (BA 7). However, right ST36-ST41 EA significantly decreased rCBF in the right parahippocampal gyrus (BA 35), right cerebellum, left frontopolar area (BA 10), left orbitofrontal area (BA 11), left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 9), and left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (BA 32). Conclusions: These results demonstrate that rightST36-ST41 EA increased rCBF prominently in both inferior parietal lobule (BA 40) and right retrosubicular area (BA 48), which suggest that there be correlation between specific EA and corresponding rCBF.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.1014-1020
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• 2006

This study was intended to examine the effects of electroacupuncture(EA) and therapeutic exercise on the improvement of exercise function, BNDF, and HSP70 protein expression in an ischemic stroke model induced by MCA occlusion. Experiments were conducted for 1, 3 days, 1, 8 weeks respectively. Group I was a group of EA and therapeutic exercise; Group II was a group of therapeutic exercise; Group III was a group of EA; Group IV was a sham group of EA; Group V was a control group; and Group VI was a sham group without ischemic stroke. In each group, neurologic motor behavior test, histologic observations, BDNF, and HSP70 expression were observed and analyzed. The following results were obtained. The results of behavior test suggest that 8 weeks after ischemic stroke was induced, Group I improved in degeneration and inflammation of muscle fiber and decreased in destruction of nerve cells and cerebral infarction, indicating a similar state of muscle fiber and brain to Group VI. In immunohistochemical observations, Group I showed increase in BDNF and decrease in HSP70. Based on these results, EA and therapeutic exercise may improve muscle atrophy and change in BDNF and HSP70 expression of ischemic stroke rats and contribute to the improvement of exercise function.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.513-521
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on the change Tyrosine-Hydroxylase immunoreactive(TH-IR) cells in the Central gray and retrorubral field of the male SD rats. 9 healthy and normal rats were divided into three groups, 3 SD rat in each group. The one group has been stimulated by electroacupuncture(EA, 2Hz) for 30min and the other group by EA for 1hr 30min and control group has been stimulated. TH-IR cells were found in the Central gray(CG) and Retrorubral field(RF). The numbers of TH-IR cells of CG and RF were significantly increased after 30 min (CG $6.2{\pm}0.83$, RF $1.4{\pm}0.55$)as compared with control group(CG $24{\pm}3.16$, RF $6.4{\pm}0.55$) and were also significantly increased after 1hr 30min(CG $75.6{\pm}4.51$, RF $18.8{\pm}0.89$) than 30min. These results show that TH is related into CG and RF in response to electrical stimulation.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.53-61
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of electrical stimulation on the change oxytocin(OT) immunoreactive cells in the hypothalamus of the male SD rats. Fifteen healthy and normal male rats were divided into three groups, 5 SD rat in each group. The one group has been stimulated by electro-acupuncture(EA, 2Hz) for 30 min and the other group by EA for 1hr 30 min and control group has not been stimulated. The results were summarized as follows. OT immunoreactive cells were found in the Paraventricular nucleus (PVN), Supraoptic nucleus(SON) and Lateral Magnocellular Area(LMA). The number of OT immunoreactive cells of PVN were significantly increased after 30 min as compared with control group (p<0.05) and were also significantly increased after 1hr 30min than 30 min(p<0.05). The number of OT immunoreactive cells of SON were significantly increased after 30 min and 1hr 30 min(p<0.05) as compared with control group, but decreased after 1hr 30 min than 30 min. The number of immunoreactive hells of LMA significantly increased after 30 min(p<0.05) as compared with control group, but significantly decreased after 1hr 30 min than 30 min(p<0.05). These results show that OT is released into the hypothalamus in response to electrical stimulation.