This week's Medline hits on acupuncture

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See this week's Medline hits on AP:

 

Lee JY, Lee MR, Kim JH, Han TS, Kang SS, Bae CS, Kim DH, Kim G, Choi

SH. | Efficacy of moxibustion after rolling correction in dairy cows with

abomasal displacement. | Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):63-7. | College of

Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Korea. | This study was

performed to assess the efficacy of moxibustion after rolling correction in

dairy cows with abomasal displacement (AD). The experimental group

comprised 86 Holstein cows with left displacement of the abomasum (LDA)

and right displacement of the abomasum (RDA), with a mean age of 3.8

with AD during a 2-year period. The cows were rolled for correction of AD.

After the rolling procedure, moxibustion was conducted on six acupoints

once a day during the course of treatment. After repositioning the

abomasums, the bilateral points of BL-20, BL-21 and BL-26 were then

stimulated. During the follow-up of 1 week, 67 (93.1%) of 72 LDA and 12

(85.7%) of 14 RDA cows were released as cured after moxibustion. In

conclusion, moxibustion effectively treats AD following rolling correction in

dairy cows. : 17265551 [PubMed - in process]

 

Arranz L, Guayerbas N, Siboni L, De la Fuente M. | Effect of acupuncture

treatment on the immune function impairment found in anxious women. |

Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):35-51. | Department of Physiology (Animal

Physiology II), Faculty of Biological Science, Complutense University of

Madrid, Spain. | It is presently accepted that emotional disturbances lead to

immune system impairment, and that therefore their treatment could restore

the immune response. Thus, the aim of the present work was to study the

effect of an AP treatment, designed specifically to relieve the emotional

symptoms stemming from anxiety, on several functions (adherence,

chemotaxis, phagocytosis, basal and stimulated superoxide anion levels,

lymphocyte proliferation in response to phytohemagglutinin A (PHA) and

natural killer (NK) activity) of leukocytes (neutrophils and lymphocytes) from

anxious women. The AP protocol consisted of manual needle stimulation of

19 acupoints, with each session lasting 30 min. It was performed on 34

female 30-60 year old patients, suffering from anxiety, as determined by the

Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Before and 72 hours after receiving the first

AP session, peripheral blood samples were drawn. In 12 patients, samples

were also collected immediately after the first single AP session and one

month after the end of the whole AP treatment, which consisted of 10

sessions during a year, until the complete remission of anxiety. Twenty

healthy non-anxious women in the same age range were used as controls.

The results showed that the most favorable effects of AP on the immune

functions appear 72 hours after the single session and persist one month

after the end of the complete treatment. Impaired immune functions in

anxious women (chemotaxis, phagocytosis, lymphoproliferation and NK

activity) were significantly improved by AP, and augmented immune

parameters (superoxide anion levels and lymphoproliferation of the patient

subgroup whose values had been too high) were significantly diminished.

AP brought the above mentioned parameters to values closer to those of

healthy controls, exerting a modulatory effect on the immune system. :

17265549 [PubMed - in process]

 

Cakmak YO. | Epilepsy, electroacupuncture and the nucleus of the solitary

tract. | Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):164-8. | | Vagal nerve stimulation and

electroAP have some promise as neuroprotective therapies for patients with

poorly controlled epilepsy. It has been demonstrated that stimulation of AP

points on the extremities results in stimulation of the vagus nerve. It is

possible that the antiepileptic effects of these two applications might be

targeting the same centre in the brain. The nucleus of the solitary tract,

which is a primary site at which vagal afferents terminate, is also the site for

afferent pathways of facial, scalp and auricular AP via trigeminal, cervical

spinal and glossopharyngeal nerves. Taken together with laboratory

findings, the neuroprotective pathways of electroAP in epileptic models may

stem from the collaboration of its anti-inflammatory and neurotrophic actions

through the nucleus of the solitary tract via vagus nerve stimulation. :

17264834 [PubMed - in process]

 

Campbell A. | Role of C tactile fibres in touch and emotion - clinical and

research relevance to acupuncture. | Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):169-

71. | | AP is generally thought to rely on Adelta fibre stimulation for its

effects

and the role of C fibres has been largely discounted. Recent research,

however, shows that there are C tactile fibres in humans that respond to

light touch and project to the limbic system. They are thought to be

responsible for feelings of calm and wellbeing that are elicited by gentle

manual stimulation, as in stroking. These findings are likely to be relevant to

AP as regards both clinical practice and research. They may explain why

even superficial AP with brief needle insertion can have a clinical effect and

why light touch may not be an adequate control procedure for use in clinical

trials. : 17264835 [PubMed - in process]

 

Ernst E, Pittler MH, Wider B, Boddy K. | Acupuncture: Its Evidence-Base is

Changing. | Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):21-5. | Complementary Medicine,

Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, UK.

Edzard.Ernst. | The effectiveness of AP remains a controversial

issue. The aim of this article is to evaluate trends over time in the

development of the evidence-base of AP. A comparison of two series of

systematic reviews was conducted. The first related to the evidence-base in

2000, the second related to 2005. Both employed virtually the same

methodology and criteria for evaluation. The results indicate that the

evidence base has increased for 13 of the 26 conditions included in this

comparison. For 7 indications it has become more positive (i.e. favoring AP)

and for 6 it had changed in the opposite direction. It is concluded, that AP

research is active. The emerging clinical evidence seems to imply that AP is

effective for some but not all conditions. : 17265547 [PubMed - in process]

 

Filshie J, Hester J. | Guidelines for providing acupuncture treatment for

cancer patients - a peer-reviewed sample policy document. | Acupunct Med.

2006 Dec;24(4):172-82. | | Clinical guidelines are statements that have been

systematically developed and which aim to assist clinicians in making

decisions about treatment for specific conditions, and promote best

practice. They are linked to evidence and are meant to facilitate good

medical practice. We are not aware of any guidelines for the safe practice of

AP in a conventional healthcare setting, yet they are necessary as AP may

be performed in a variety of settings and by a variety of healthcare

professionals: doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, midwives, and non

medically trained practitioners. These guidelines were developed for use in

cancer patients, mainly for pain but also for some non-pain indications such

as hot flushes. They are presented here as a template for other

acupuncturists who are requested to provide policies for AP treatment for

cancer patients. This article includes a general review of the evidence on

mechanisms, effectiveness and safety of AP that is intended to be used in

conjunction with the guidelines; and the guidelines themselves. An appendix

includes instructions for self AP. The guidelines contain sections on roles

and responsibilities, criteria for AP practice, indications for AP,

contraindications and cautions, AP treatment, and review and audit. These

guidelines set basic, minimum standards of care, and need re-assessment

and ongoing validation as further data and evidence accumulate. :

17264836 [PubMed - in process]

 

Hantoushzadeh S, Alhusseini N, Lebaschi AH. | The effects of acupuncture

during labour on nulliparous women: A randomised controlled trial. | Aust N

Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2007 Feb;47(1):26-30. | Department of Obstetrics and

Gynecology, Vali Asr Research Centre for Reproductive Health, Imam

Medical Complex, Tehran, Iran. | Background: AP is as an ancient system

of diagnosis and treatment. It is regarded as a complementary tool for pain

management. Aims: To assess the effects of AP on nulliparous women

during labour with respect to pain, labour duration and maternal

acceptability. Methods: One hundred and forty-four healthy nulliparous

women in active phase were randomised into the study and control group,

receiving real and minimal AP, respectively. Visual analogue scale was

used to assess pain. Objectives were to evaluate AP effect on pain and

labour duration and patients' willingness to receive AP for subsequent

pregnancies. Results: Visual analogue scale pain score in the study group

was lower after two hours. Active phase duration and the oxytocin units

administered were lower in the study group. Study group patients had

greater willingness to receive AP again. No adverse effects were detected.

Conclusions: AP could reduce pain experience, active phase duration and

oxytocin units. Patients were satisfied and no adverse effects were noted. :

17261096 [PubMed - in process]

 

Huang C, Hu ZP, Jiang SZ, Li HT, Han JS, Wan Y. | CCK(B) receptor

antagonist L365,260 potentiates the efficacy to and reverses chronic

tolerance to electroacupuncture-induced analgesia in mice. | Brain Res Bull.

2007 Mar 15;71(5):447-51. Epub 2006 Dec 11. | Department of Physiology,

Gannan Medical University, 1 Yixueyuan Road, Ganzhou 341000, PR

China; Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology,

Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road,

Beijing 100083, PR China. | Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) is a

physiological antagonist of endogenous opioids in the central nervous

system (CNS). Our previous work has shown that CCK-8 plays an important

role in the development of tolerance to morphine analgesia and electroAP

(EA) analgesia in the rat. The present studies were designed to examine

whether the CCK(B) receptor is involved in the modulation of EA analgesia

and the development of EA tolerance in mice. The latency to flick the tail in

the radiant heat was used as index to assess the efficacy of EA analgesia.

Subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of the CCK(B) receptor antagonist L365,260

produced a dose-dependent (0.125-2.0mg/kg) potentiation of the analgesia

induced by 100Hz EA, with a maximal effect occurred at 0.5mg/kg. In

addition, L365,260 (0.5mg/kg) significantly reversed chronic tolerance to

100Hz EA in mice. These results suggest that the CCK(B) receptor might

play a role in the tonic inhibition of 100Hz EA-induced analgesia and in the

mediation of chronic tolerance to 100Hz EA in mice. The results opened a

way for further investigation of the function of CCK-8 in pain modulation

using inbred strains of mice. : 17259012 [PubMed - in process]

 

Linde K, Witt CM, Streng A, Weidenhammer W, Wagenpfeil S, Brinkhaus

B, Willich SN, Melchart D. | The impact of patient expectations on outcomes

in four randomized controlled trials of acupuncture in patients with chronic

pain. | Pain. 2007 Jan 24; [Epub ahead of print] | Centre for Complementary

Medicine Research, Department of Internal Medicine II, Technische

Universitat Munchen, Kaiserstr. 9, 80801 Munich, Germany. | In a pooled

analysis of four randomized controlled trials of AP in patients with migraine,

tension-type headache, chronic low back pain, and osteoarthritis of the knee

we investigated the influence of expectations on clinical outcome. The 864

patients included in the analysis received either 12 sessions of AP or

minimal (i.e. sham) AP (superficial needling of non-AP points) over an 8

week period. Patients were asked at baseline whether they considered AP

to be an effective therapy in general and what they personally expected

from the treatment. After three AP sessions patients were asked how

confident they were that they would benefit from the treatment strategy they

were receiving. Patients were classified as responders if the respective

main outcome measure improved by at least fifty percent. Both univariate

and multivariate analyses adjusted for potential confounders (such as

condition, intervention group, age, sex, duration of complaints, etc.)

consistently showed a significant influence of attitudes and expectations on

outcome. After completion of treatment, the odds ratio for response

between patients considering AP an effective or highly effective therapy and

patients who were more sceptical was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.20-

2.32). For personal expectations and confidence after the third session,

odds ratios were 2.03 (1.26-3.26) and 2.35 (1.68-3.30), respectively.

Results from the 6-month follow-up were similar. In conclusion, in our trials

a significant association was shown between better improvement and

higher outcome expectations. : 17257756 [PubMed - as supplied by

publisher]

 

Liu J, Cho SN, Song KH, Kim DH, Kim MC, Cho SW. | The effect of oculo-

acupuncture on acute hepatic injury induced by carbon tetrachloride in

dogs. | Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):53-61. | Laboratory of Veterinary Internal

Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shandong

Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China. | We investigated the

therapeutic effect of oculo-AP on dogs induced with acute hepatic injury.

Hepatic injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection with carbon

tetrachloride (CCl(4)) in 8 mongrel dogs (4 females and 4 males, aged 2 to

4 years). The dogs were divided into the control group (4 dogs) and the

experimental group (4 dogs). The experimental group was treated with

oculo-AP at the liver/gallbladder regions plus the zhong jiao region of the

eye after the induction of hepatic injury. Serum aspartate aminotransferase

(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma glutamyl

transpeptidase (GGT) activities were measured in both control and

experimental groups. The serum AST, ALT, and GGT activities in the

experimental group were decreased as compared to those in the control

group. The significant differences were detected on the third day (AST, p <

0.05), second day (ALT, p < 0.05) and third day (GGT, p < 0.05) in the

experimental group, respectively. Oculo-AP alleviated acute liver damage

induced by carbon tetrachloride in dogs was also confirmed by

histopathological examination. We concluded that oculo-AP at the

liver/gallbladder regions plus the zhong jiao region was effective in the

recovery of dogs from hepatic injury in a CCl(4)-induced model. : 17265550

[PubMed - in process]

 

Mazur M, Stepien A, Pawlus J, Thor PJ, Kraft O, Gryz I, Lipczynski A. |

[influence of somatovisceral reflexes activation (TENS) on gallblader

emptying in chole- lithiasis patients] [Article in Polish] | Folia Med Cracov.

2005;46(3-4):67-74. | Collegium Medicum Uniwersytetu Jagiellonskiego. |

Several reports described impact of transcutaneous electrical nerve

stimulation (TENS) on bile emptying. The aim of this study was to determine

the effect of somatovisceral reflex excitation by TENS on gallbladder

emptying in patients with cholelithiasis using hepatocholescintigraphy TENS

induced somatovisceral reflexes that decrease the gallbladder ejection rate.

Relaxation of the gallbladder and bile ducts emptying seem to be related to

the reciprocal reflexes dampened by inflammation associated cholelithiasis.

Publication Types: English Abstract

 

Neri I, De Pace V, Venturini P, Facchinetti F. | Effects of Three Different

Stimulations (Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Acupuncture Plus Moxibustion) of

BL.67 Acupoint at Small Toe on Fetal Behavior of Breech Presentation. |

Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):27-33. | Mother-Infant Department, University of

Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via del Pozzo 71, 41100, Modena, Italy.

neri.isabella. | The aim of the study was to evaluate

cardiovascular effects and fetal behavior during moxibustion, AP or AP plus

moxibustion applied on the BL67 acupoint of women (beside the outer

corner of the 5th toenail) in fetal breech presentation. During the acupoint

stimulation (20 min, two times a week), the women were submitted to

computerized non-stress test. Fourteen cases were treated by both AP and

moxibustion, 15 cases by moxibustion and 10 cases by AP. In 56% of

cases, fetal position was converted from breech position to cephalic one;

the success share was 80% for moxibustion, 28% for AP, 57% for AP plus

moxibustion; the conversion, on average, was achieved after 3 sessions.

Statistical analysis indicated that AP plus moxibustion was able to reduce

fetal heart rate during the application of stimuli while AP and moxibustion

separately did not affect such parameter. Moreover, moxibustion and AP

with moxibustion reduced fetal movements while AP only appears

ineffective. The present study suggests that fetal movements were reduced

by both AP plus moxibustion and moxibustion and that fetal heart rate was

reduced just by AP plus moxibustion. The mechanisms leading the effect on

fetal heart rate and fetal movements remain to be clarified. Even though

further studies are needed, such preliminary report mainly investigated the

impact of different stimuli on BL67. Unfortunately these small series of data

do not allow us to draw any conclusion about the effectiveness of the

different treatments. : 17265548 [PubMed - in process]

 

Stener-Victorin E, Humaidan P. | Use of acupuncture in female infertility and

a summary of recent acupuncture studies related to embryo transfer. |

Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):157-63. | | During the last five years the use

of AP in female infertility as an adjuvant to conventional treatment in

assisted reproductive technology (ART) has increased in popularity. The

present paper briefly discusses clinical and experimental data on the effect

of AP on uterine and ovarian blood flow, as an analgesic method during

ART, and on endocrine and metabolic disturbances such as polycystic

ovary syndrome (PCOS). Further it gives a summary of recent studies

evaluating the effect of AP before and after embryo transfer on pregnancy

outcome. Of the four published RCTs, three reveal significantly higher

pregnancy rates in the AP groups compared with the control groups. But the

use of different study protocols makes it difficult to draw definitive

conclusions. It seems, however, that AP has a positive effect and no

adverse effects on pregnancy outcome. : 17264833 [PubMed - in process]

 

White A, Moody R. | The effects of auricular acupuncture on smoking

cessation may not depend on the point chosen - an exploratory meta-

analysis. | Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):149-56. | | INTRODUCTION:

Auricular AP is given as a treatment for drug dependence. Points are

usually chosen on the assumption that the body is represented

somatotopically in the ear, although there is no anatomical basis for this. In

clinical trials, sham treatment is often given at points that are supposedly

'incorrect' for the condition, in the belief that they are inactive. The aim of

this study was to explore whether there is any difference in the effectiveness

of auricular AP at 'correct' and 'incorrect' points. METHODS: Controlled

trials of semi-permanent auricular AP or acupressure for smoking cessation

were systematically located, and the results combined in exploratory meta-

analyses which took into account the study quality. RESULTS: Thirteen

studies were included. Combining ten studies showed auricular AP at

'correct' points to be more effective than control interventions, odds ratio

2.24 (95% CI 1.61, 3.10), a result which is confirmed in the four high validity

studies. Other analyses showed inconsistent results between all studies and

higher quality studies. Comparisons of three higher quality studies suggest

that 'correct' and 'incorrect' point AP is no different (odds ratio 1.22, CI

0.72,

2.07); and two studies showed that 'incorrect' point AP may be more

effective than other interventions (odds ratio 1.96, CI 1.00, 3.86).

CONCLUSION: Auricular AP appears to be effective for smoking cessation,

but the effect may not depend on point location. This calls into question the

somatotopic model underlying auricular AP and suggests a need to re-

evaluate sham controlled studies which have used 'incorrect' points. Further

experiments are necessary to confirm or refute these observational

conclusions. : 17264832 [PubMed - in process]

 

Zhang W, Kanehara M, Zhang Y, Wang X, Ishida T. | beta-Blocker and

Other Analogous Treatments that Affect Bone Mass and Sympathetic Nerve

Activity in Ovariectomized Rats. | Am J Chin Med. 2007;35(1):89-101. |

Acupuncture Department, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Mie,

Japan. | We investigated whether treatments with beta-blockers or other

administrations that have similar actions to beta-blockers, such as Chinese

herbs or needling, were effective in treating osteoporosis induced by

ovariectomy (OVX). Female Wister rats were divided into five groups: a

sham-operated control group treated with vehicle (Sham, n = 8), an

ovariectomized (OVX) group treated with vehicle (Model, n = 8), an OVX

group administered with propranolol (Pro, n = 10), an OVX group

administered an ethanol extract of Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis (Fcs, n = 9),

and an OVX punctured at Sanyinjiao (SP-6) and Neiguan (PC-6) (Needling,

n = 8). The treatment started when rats were 12 weeks old and continued

for 24 weeks. Serum osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridinoline (Dpd) levels

were upregulated in rats in response to OVX, together with a significantly

decreased BMD and trabecular bone area. The Pro, Fcs and Needling

treatment improved the decreased BMD and the trabecular area, increased

the trabecular number, lowered the trabecular separation to some extent as

well as significantly depressed the urinary Dpd levels (p < 0.05). The bone

formation markers, such as the mineralizing surface, mineral apposition rate

and bone formation rate were not significantly changed, along with a slightly

higher trend of osteocalcin levels when compared with the Model rats. The

slower heart rate and lower plasma NE levels in these therapeutic groups

were also found. Our results suggested that propranolol, Fcs and needling

on Sanyinjiao (SP-6) and Neiguan (PC-6) may improve the bone mass of

OVX rats, and it provides an alternative and potential therapy for the

prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. : 17265554 [PubMed - in

process]

 

 

Best regards,