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PubMed1993

[Experimental observation on the relation between pericardium meridian and cardiac function].

The theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) holds that "internally, meridians connect with the visceral organs, and externally, with the joints, limbs and other superficial tissues of the body". The results of the investigations on the meridian phenomena, including propagated sensation along meridians (PSM) and others, also showed that certain lines or tracks, coincident with the course of classical meridians, really existed over the body surface. In order to probe into the relation between the pericardium meridian, acting as a organic whole, and the cardiac function, 100 cases of patients suffering from coronary heart disease, with or without PSM, were observed on the one and the same subject before and after acupuncture for comparison. Four acupoints, namely Neiguan (PC6), Ximen (PC4), Quze (PC3), Tianquan (PC2) and two other non-acupoint spots on the Pericerdium Meridian of the same person were acupunctured in different days respectively. At the same time, the spots locating on the both sides of above 4 acupoints, with a distance of 1.5-2.0 cm from them former, and Guangming (GB37) of Gall-Bladder Meridian were taken as controls. Electrocardiogram, cardiophonogram and rheocardiogram were recorded simultaneously. Taking PEP, LVET, P/L, HI, SV, CO, ST segment and T wave of ECG as indexes for analysis, the effect of acupuncture of acupoints on Pericardium Meridian and controls were compared. The results of 737 times of observation demonstrated that the 8 indexes of 4 acupoints and other two non-acupoint spots on the Pericardium Meridian all changed conspicuously after acupuncture. However, the changes of above indexes of the controls, including 8 spots beside Pericardium Meridian, were slight.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1993

[Displaying of the infrared radiant track along meridians on the back of human body].

Based on the technique of infrared information, we improved the experimental method and displayed the meridian courses over the body surface successfully. Observation of the meridians on the back was performed on 23 healthy adults in this work, and 164 lines of infrared radiant track have been recorded. About 40% of them travelled through the back from lumbus to neck and their courses coincided or basically coincided with Du meridian and Urinary-Bladder meridian in that region. Several meridian courses could be displayed simultaneously in the observation. Symmetry was one of the important characters of the infrared radiant track on back region and it appeared alone in one side only in occasional case. The intensity of infrared radiation was the highest in Du meridian, the medial line of Urinary-Bladder meridian in second and the lateral line of Urinary-Bladder meridian was the lowest. Since there are no large blood vessels in longitudinal direction in the subcutaneous tissue of this region, therefore, the radiant track recorded obviously bared no relation to the large blood vessels. The above results demonstrated that the courses of Du meridian and Urinary-Bladder meridian were inherent in human body and could be displayed objectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Imaging of the stomach, and localization of the stomach meridian & its acupuncture points in a human cadaver by the use of the indirect "Bi-Digital O-Ring Test Imaging Technique".

Since 1984, using the "Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (Molecular Identification, Localization and) Imaging Technique" originally developed by Y. Omura, the imaging of the outline of normal and abnormal internal organs has been successfully applied for clinical diagnosis and evaluation of therapeutic effects, without the use of expensive imaging instrumentation. Not only has it become possible to non-invasively image each internal organ and localize specific malignant tumors of specific internal organs, as well as neurotransmitters, but it has also recently become possible to demonstrate the presence and exact locations of the meridians corresponding to specific internal organs and their acupuncture points along the meridians through the use of either the Direct or Indirect "Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (Molecular Identification, Localization and) Imaging Techniques" while holding a microscopic slide of the specific human internal organ tissue. However, very little information was available to demonstrate the presence of the meridians and their acupuncture points in a human cadaver. In this study, we were able to demonstrate by use of the Indirect "Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (Molecular Identification, Localization and) Imaging Technique" the presence of meridians corresponding to specific internal organs and acupuncture points on the meridians, all of which were nearly identical to those found in a living human. For example, the authors found that the stomach meridian at both ends of one of the most well-known acupuncture points, Stomach 36, is located within 1 mm of the surface of the skin, and the average diameter of the meridian is less than 1 mm. Stomach 36 in this particular cadaver had a round shape with a diameter of approximately 1.8 cm at the skin surface. The acupuncture point, St. 36, in this cadaver at the skin surface was round in shape and extended to the deepest underlying muscle layer of the tibialis anterior muscle, in three dimensions. In spite of the fact that the Indirect Bi-Digital O-Ring Test Imaging Technique showed a distinct pathway for the stomach meridian and the location of St. 36, there was no apparent difference to the naked eye between the meridian and the surrounding non-meridian tissue, nor between St. 36 and surrounding non-acupuncture point area. However, there seems to be a more dense connective tissue network between the skin layer and the fascia on the muscle tissue at the acupuncture point, as compared with the surrounding non-acupuncture point area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2005

Effects of acupuncture on potential along meridians of healthy subjects and patients with gastric disease.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in bio-potential in the stomach meridians of 20 normal healthy control subjects (NHC) and 20 patients with gastric disease (PGD). We measured changes in potential between ST-39 and ST-37 on the stomach meridian in response to invasive insertion of a needle at ST-36. The response patterns of NHC were regular in both the left and right meridians, whereas the response patterns of PGD were irregular. The potential of the NHC was significantly higher than that of the PGD group. The potential values in the left and right meridians of NHC were the same. However, the potential in the right meridian was significantly higher than that in the left meridian of PGD (p < 0.001). This study indicates that there may be changes in Qi or in the electrical properties of meridians according to health status, reflected in the regularity of the response to acupuncture or in the level of potential along meridians. Therefore, it may be possible to make a diagnosis from the state of a meridian by comparing levels of potential difference and its regularity.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed2006

[Study on effects of acupuncture at the heart meridian on gene expression pattern of heart in rats with acute myocardial ischemia].

OBJECTIVE: To reveal the mechanism of acupuncture at the Heart meridian in treatment of myocardial ischemia from gene level. METHODS: A model of acute myocardial ischemia was made by ligation of left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery. Changes of gene expression pattern of the Lung meridian group, the Heart meridian group and the model group in the heart were compared. RESULTS: Differential expression genes and expression sequence tags (ESTs) were 14 with signal log ratio > or = 1 and 20 with signal log ratio < or = -1, mainly included immunological and inflammatory reaction relative genes, cell signal transduction and transferrin relative genes, and others, in the Lung meridian group vs the model group. Differential expression genes and ESTs were 20 with signal log ratio > or = 1 and 70 with signal log ratio < or = -1, mainly included ion channel and transport protein relative genes, cell apoptosis and stress reaction protein relative genes, metabolism relative genes, cell signal transduction and transferrin relative genes, DNA's binding, transcription and transcriptional factor relative genes, immunological and inflammatory reaction relative genes, and others, in the Heart meridian group vs the model group. CONCLUSION: In number and types of differential expression genes and ESTs with signal log ratio > or = 1 or < or = -1, the changes in the Heart meridian group vs the model group were obviously different from those in the Lung meridian group vs the model group, indicating that the Heart meridian has relative specificity in protecting against acute myocardial ischemia.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1993

[Distribution of low skin impedance points along meridians over the medial side of forearm].

The distribution of low skin impedance points (LSIP) over the medial side of forearm was plotted with a computer system designed for the measurement of skin impedance. Twelve volunteers were under observation. The exploring electrode moved forward in a even velocity from the radial axis of forearm to its ulnar axis and crossed the Lung meridian, Pericardium meridian and Heart meridian in succession. Thus, the measurement covered the whole area of the medial side of forearm. The results showed that the most of 391 LSIPs located right on or within 5 mm bilaterally to the travelling courses of Three Ying Meridians of Hand. It could be found in the area between every two meridians only in a few cases. Just so, the courses of Three Ying Meridians of Hand were clearly displayed. Under the condition of this experiment, LSIP appeared randomly, but viewing the situation as a whole, the distribution of LSIPs was still following the meridian courses. The results further demonstrated that the distribution of LSIPs along meridian courses not caused by the errors in measurement, but really a biological phenomenon, which was objectively existed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The psychophysical periphery effect crosses the vertical meridian.

This study measured the periphery effect and compared its magnitude when the peripheral stimulation was on the same or opposite side of the vertical meridian as the test spot. Test thresholds for a 1.5-deg diameter, 8-ms spot located 1.75 deg to one side of the vertical meridian were elevated by approximately 0.125 log units when a 0.25 cycles/deg (cpd) counterphased grating was presented at a similar eccentric offset on the other side of the vertical meridian. The periphery effect disappeared when the test spot was moved outward to 8-deg eccentricity. When the grating and test were presented on the same side of the vertical meridian, test thresholds at both retinal locations were elevated by the same amount, 0.2 log units. Consistent with the physiology in cat retina, the periphery effect in humans also crosses over the vertical meridian. However, the effect is small and the test spot must be in close proximity to the vertical meridian for it to be observed. Also, the crossover periphery effect is reduced in magnitude by 37.5% compared to when the grating and test are presented on the same side of the vertical meridian. This suggests there may be a difference in how the underlying neural mechanism that transmits the periphery effect signal laterally is organized for sending the periphery effect signal across the vertical meridian as compared to within a retinal hemifield.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Towards the development of a mathematical model for acupuncture meridians.

Traditional concepts of classical acupuncture and Chinese medicine come from a culture which is very different from ours, and there has been considerable problems in their accurate presentation. Our approach is to attempt the development of a mathematical language that links these traditional concepts theoretically to models that can be experimentally tested. We first review some of Manaka's findings, confirmed also by our results, having to do with low intensity stimuli. In particular, Manaka applied polarized agents such as Cu(+) and Zn(-) to nonacupuncture points on a meridian and to the so called "mother and child" points on a meridian. In both cases he observed the pressure pain reaction which increased for one orientation of Cu and Zn on the meridian and decreased for the opposite orientation. Note that in the case of "mother and child" points the observed reaction was in agreement with the so called "five phase (five element)" theory. Also, in the case of the "mother and child" points the effect usually lasted considerably longer than in the case of nonacupuncture points on a meridian. Taking into account the connection between Manaka's results and skin electrical measurements by some electrodermal diagnostic instruments such as Motoyama's AMI, we discuss some equivalent electric circuits for a single meridian and relate them to the nervous system response. In particular, an electrical circuit model similar to the synapse membrane with two ionic channels seems to be especially useful when we try to explain Manaka's clinical results and Motoyama's results on the velocity of propagation of electrical impulses along meridians. We also develop a mathematical model in the form of a linear five dimensional dynamical system of the so called "five phase (five element)" laws such as "creative" cycle, "controlling" cycle, etc., in the case of a single meridian. We connect this model with the membrane type model mentioned above by assuming a simple mass action law, for the dependence of the conductances in the ionic channels on the input signals. This combined model is used to describe the development of a "disease" and its treatment according to the "five phase" theory. Here we interpret the "disease" as a blockage in a meridian, while the treatment initiates the unblocking process.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1993

[Displaying of meridian courses travelling over human body surface under natural conditions].

Based on the technique of infrared image information, the instantaneous infrared signals of isoenergy radiated from body surface was sampled and displayed continuously in this work. The inherent infrared radiant tracks over the body surface was successfully displayed under the natural conditions, without any artificial stimulation or interference. Fourty nine times of observation were performed on 30 volunteers and 594 lines of radiant track have been recorded. Most of the radiant tracks were line or narrow band in shape. Their courses coincided or basically coincided with that of the classical Fourteen Meridians. It seemed to be considerably identical with the classical meridian course in about 30% of the cases observed and some of them travelled over several body regions along meridian courses. The method established in this work first enables us to recognize figuratively the inherent meridian courses travelling over the body surface. The description on the meridians in the books of traditional Chinese medicine was thus evidenced. The aim pursued by the researchers in this field for a long period of time has now been realized, though something still remained to be further improved in this work. The facts irrefutably confirmed that meridian is the inherent organization and function of human body and there must be a corresponding substantial basis in 'periphery'. A more clear approach for elucidation of the essence of meridians has come into view from above facts.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Nonconjugate adaptation of human saccades to anisometropic spectacles: meridian-specificity.

Recently it has been demonstrated that saccades become different in size in the two eyes if a subject is adapted to anisometropic spectacles, which provide visual images of different magnitude to the two eyes. These nonconjugate adaptations adequately meet the requirements of those spectacles and, once acquired, they persist (with some reduction) even during monocular viewing. We now demonstrate that such nonconjugate adaptations of saccades can be meridian-specific, if there is a pressure for such meridian-specificity. This pressure was provided by means of a cylindrical spectacle-lens. Adaptations along a vertical, horizontal or oblique meridian did not transfer to the orthogonal meridian. These results demonstrate a capability of saccadic adaptation to deal with calibration problems restricted not only to one eye, but even to one specific plane of muscular action. Our results also suggest that the meridian-specific adaptations of oblique saccades take place at a stage before the decomposition of motor commands into separate horizontal and vertical components. The meridian-specific nonconjugacies were also expressed in smooth-pursuit eye movements. Post-saccadic drift adapted only along the horizontal meridian.

Adaptation, Ocular↗
PubMed2005

Effects of nitric oxide and noradrenergic function on skin electric resistance of acupoints and meridians.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of L-arginine-derived nitric oxide (NO) synthesis and noradrenergic function on skin electrical resistance of acupoints and meridians. DESIGN: Experiments were performed on male Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Low skin-resistance points (LSRP; BL 56, PC 6, CV 17), non-LSRP positions (along the meridians), and non- LSRP, non-meridian control positions (adjacent to but not along the meridians) were determined on the skin surface by measurements of the skin stimulus-evoked electrical currents. The effects of L-arginine-derived NO synthesis and noradrenergic function on the currents, representing skin electrical resistance, were examined in the LSRP, non-LSRP, and non-meridian control points. RESULTS: The skin stimulus-evoked electrical currents at BL 56 (36.4 +/- 1.4 microA), PC 6 (35.4 +/- 1.2), and CV 17 (33.1 +/- 1.4) were significantly higher than those in non-LSRP and non-meridian control positions (p < 0.01, n = 7). The currents were consistently increased after repeated stimulation along the skin as a function of time. Intravenous injections of L-arginine (3 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 30 mg/kg) and 3-morpholinyl-sydnoneimine (SIN-1; 1 microg/kg, 3 microg/kg, and 10 microg/kg) produced dose-dependent increases in the currents (p < 0.05, n = 5-6), but currents were not altered by injections of D-arginine (3 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, and 30 mg/kg). Stimulus-evoked increases in currents were blocked by intravenous injections of either N (G)-propyl-L-arginine (NPLA, 3 mg/kg), N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 mg/kg), or guanethidine (3 mg/kg), a noradrenergic blockade. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first evidence showing that L-arginine-derived NO synthesis and noradrenergic transmission modify the skin electric conductance of LSRP. L-Arginine-derived NO synthesis appears to mediate noradrenergic function on skin sympathetic nerve activation, which contributes to low resistance characteristics of acupoints and meridians.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1997

Meridional profiles of variance-covariance of symmetric dioptric power: classes of variation that are uniform across the meridians of the eye.

Conventional dioptric power, including refractive status and keratometric measurements, can vary in a large variety of ways. The three-dimensional character of this type of power implies that six numbers are required for the complete representation of its variance: three variances and three covariances. Curves (called profiles) that show how these numbers compare in different meridians (or transverse directions) of the eye provide a useful graphical picture of the variation and its nature. This paper explores an important subclass of types of variation in which the variation is the same for all meridians. In this subclass the variation of power is said to be uniform across all meridians of the eye. It turns out that the uniformity may be either complete or partial. In the former case all aspects of the variation are the same. In the latter case certain aspects of the variation are the same across all meridians whereas others are not; in particular the variance of the torsional component of power is the same for every meridian whereas the variance of the curvital component changes from meridian to meridian. There is a range of types of completely uniform variation from spherical variation at one extreme to Jacksonian variation at the other. All types of uniform variation (partial or complete) are characterized by two indices called the jacksonian index and the completeness index. The types can be represented geometrically as points on the triangle of uniformity. Samples of measurements of dioptric power are selected to illustrate various types of uniform variation. Methods are presented for detecting and classifying uniform variation from profiles of variation and also from the variance-covariance matrix. Examples are given of uniform variation of refractive status and of keratometry of an eye. The variation is analyzed and classified. The concepts and methods are proving to be of fundamental importance in the study of the nature and underlying causes of fluctuations of refractive status and keratometric measurements.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1983

Electrical skin resistance changes in meridians during ophthalmic surgery with local anesthesia.

Electrical skin resistance on Accumulation points in twelve meridians was measured during operation of cataract under local anesthesia. Electrical skin resistance increased an average of 15 percent in bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, gall bladder meridians, and decreased an average of 18 percent in lung, small intestine, heart, spleen-pancreas, heart constrictor, triple heater, large intestine meridians. When comparing the skin resistance values with those under acupuncture anesthesia during ophthalmic surgery, the skin resistance value under acupuncture anesthesia exhibited a marked decrease in all meridians (average 23 percent decrease) except the kidney meridian. On the other hand, the skin resistance under local anesthesia was only a 7.4 percent decrease in all meridians except the kidney meridian. It was speculated as one of the reasons for less changes of skin resistance under local anesthesia that sympathetic nervous activity did not occur so much because of pain relief due to local anesthesia.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2001

Change on the horizontal and vertical meridians of the cornea after cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: To compare the course and magnitude of change on the horizontal and vertical meridians of the cornea after 5 different incisions for cataract: extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE), 6 mm superior scleral tunnel (6Sup), 3 mm superior scleral tunnel (3Sup), 3 mm temporal scleral tunnel (3Temp), and 3 mm temporal corneal incision (3Cor). METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 665 cases of preoperative regular astigmatism. The preoperative keratometry (K) reading was subtracted from the postoperative K reading to determine mean net change on each meridian at 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 1.5 months, 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 12 months and at 6 month intervals thereafter. After the superior incisions, the temporal changes on each meridian are well described by an analytic model with an initial and final plateau. The changes after the temporal incisions are described by a linear equation. RESULTS: After each superior incision, the steepness and length of the transition from the initial to final plateau for each meridian depend on incision length. Considering the uncertainty of measuring K, the corneal meridians stabilized 4.5 months after ECCE, 1.2 months after 6Sup, and 0.3 months after 3Sup. No significant change was detected on the horizontal and vertical meridians after 3Temp and 3Cor. CONCLUSION: The magnitude and the duration of changes on the horizontal and vertical meridians of the cornea after cataract surgery depend on both incision length and location. Small temporal incisions induce less change than superior incisions.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Influence of spleen meridian herbs on the harmonic spectrum of the arterial pulse.

Pulse analysis is a powerful method in Chinese medicine. We suggest that the effect of herbal medicine is to redistribute the blood to organs and meridians. In this report, by injecting extracts into rats and then analyzing the blood pressure wave measured at the caudate arteries, we studied eight important spleen meridian related herbs: They were Semen Lablab, Fructus Amomi Globosi, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, Rhizoma Atractylodis, Tuber Pinelliae, Radix Codonopsitis, Pericarpium Aurantii and Rhizoma Polygonati. All eight herbs increased the intensity of the 3rd harmonic (C3) of the pressure pulse which is correlated to the spleen and spleen meridian, as described in traditional Chinese medical literature. All of them also increased the 2nd harmonic (which is correlated to the kidney and the kidney meridian) as well as decreased the heart load (DC term of pressure wave, C0). Tuber Pinelliae, Radix Codonopsitis, Pericarpium Aurantii and Rhizoma Polygonati decreased the 1st harmonic (correlated to the liver meridian) significantly, while Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae only decreased C1 slightly. Except for Semen Lablab, all the others decreased the intensity of the 5th (stomach meridian) and the 7th harmonics. The effects of kidney herbs: Cortex Eucommiae and Radix Achyranthis were also shown for comparison.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

[Analysis on literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in clinical acupuncture and moxibustion in recent 3 years].

OBJECTIVE: To understand clinical application of syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in acupuncture and moxibustion. METHODS: Collect and collate the literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians in Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, Acupuncture Research, Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture & Moxibustion (Clinic edition B in 2003) and Clinical Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion from 2001 to 2003. RESULTS: Less literature about syndrome differentiation and treatment of meridians are involved, only accounting for 5.69% (163/2 864); and the literature about both treatment based on meridians and treatment based on syndrome differentiation of meridians only accounted for 1.22% (35/2 864). CONCLUSION: At present, clinically acupuncture and moxibustion do not play attention to treatment based on syndrome differentiation of meridians.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed2005

[Experimental study on expression of connexin 43 in meridians of rats].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) in the meridians of the normal healthy rats and the relation among connexin, gap junction and meridian. METHODS: PowerVision two step immunohistochemical technique and ASIAS-2000 automatical image-scan analyzing system were used to detect Cx43 level and distribution in the Kidney and Bladder Meridians of the rat. RESULTS: Cx43 expressed mainly in skin epithelia, fibroblasts and mast cells of the subcutaneous layer. And expression of Cx43 in the Kidney and Bladder Meridians was significantly more than that in the control lines (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Connexins and gap junctions have close relation with the meridians, and the gap junctional intercellular communication may play an important role in the function of meridians.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[The experimental demonstration of "the isothermal meridian courses"].

This experimental work has further verified the analysis and inference from "the meridians" discoverd by Mr. Hu Xianglong in author's previous article, the discrimination of physical location of "the isothermal meridians". The author has confirmed that "the isothermal meridians" were just processed and resolved from the color infrared image by computer, and they were the statistical lines and the schematic diagrams linked with the points of isotherm on the body surface. Some of "the isothermal meridians" were selected artificially from many statistical lines, which basically coincided with classical meridian courses. They completely conform with the law of the temperature diffusion, and could only reflect the natural tendency of the temperature diffusion on the body surface, but they are not the natural display of the travelling tracks of the meridian Qi and blood in the human body.

Humans↗