Revista Internacional de Acupuntura最新文献

Erectile dysfunction is a condition in which men have difficulty in obtaining or maintaining a satisfactory penile erection, affecting their sexual life and quality of life. It is a common condition and its prevalence is increasing due to lifestyle changes and psychosocial factors. There are various approaches to treat erectile dysfunction, however many patients are not satisfied with conventional treatments and seek alternatives. Acupuncture is a technique that involves the insertion of needles into specific points of the body to promote the regulation of several systems and improve well-being. Regarding erectile dysfunction, acupuncture seems to positively influence the regulation of the hypothalamus, hormonal function, and local nervous function. Acupuncture is a promising therapeutic option, especially when combined with conventional therapies and by directly addressing mental health. However, the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture for erectile dysfunction is still limited.

Objective

Demonstrate that acupuncture has a high therapeutic potential to treat patients with symptoms of digestive system disorders and mental health (depression, anxiety and sleep quality).

Materials and methods

A electroacupuncture treatment was developed to evaluate ten patients with digestive, sleep and mental health disorders using the baihui (Du 20), shenting (Du 24), and zusanli (E 36) points, inserting the needle through the skin (between 10 and 15°) baihui and shenting (connected for electrostimulation), and 90° to the bilateral zusanli point (bilateral electrostimulation), in 8 sessions of 20 min each, two times per week.

Results

After the 8 sessions, all the patients showed improvement in the signs and symptoms of the digestive system and reduced their 17-item Hamilton depression rating scale scores.

Conclusions

In this study we evaluated the therapeutic effect of the usage of electroacupuncture in 8 session (4 weeks), using the baihui (Du 20), shenting (Du 24) and zusanli (E 36) points in patients with digestive, sleep and mental health disorders. This study demonstrates the high therapeutic potential that electroacupuncture could have to attend these disorders in the population worldwide and that its use and more clinical studies can be promoted to promote and demonstrate its effectiveness.

The concept of jing qi function is essential in traditional Chinese medicine and its understanding is important in clinical practice to comprehend the processes of growth, development, and life maintenance. Essential jing energy is divided into two categories: prenatal and postnatal. Postnatal essential jing energy is related to the transformation of fluids and food in the spleen-stomach, and its deficiency is related to the lack of elements obtained from food. Prenatal essential jing energy is related to body formation and repair, growth factors, and regulatory processes of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic activity. Products that strengthen prenatal essential jing energy are related to the production and regulation of growth factors and stem cell therapy, reinforcing the idea of its relationship with genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic regulation.

Introduction

lorazepam is one of benzodiazepine medication that is usually used for its sedative and anxiolytic effect and has anti-depressant like effects. Turmeric is a plant that contain curcumin as main active compound that exert its antidepressant action inhibit monoamine oxidase and increase levels of dopamine and serotonin in brain.

Aim

the present study investigate the depression effect of curcumin (natural selective serotonin inhibitors) in comparison with acupuncture and lorazepam.

Method

32 adult rats weighing (150 g−280 g) were divided equally into 8 groups each group contain 4 rats. The first 3 group of rats were treated with lorazepam, mixture of (curcumin, black pepper and olive oil) and pricked with insulin needle at point gb39, respectively, while second 4 groups of rats were received lorazepam and mixture, lorazepam and acupuncture, mixture and acupuncture, and lorazepam, mixture and acupuncture, separately, and the eighth group is control group don't receive any drugs. After 35 days, forced swimming test was made for all rats.

Results

Liver parameters: - GOT increased in all group, GPT increased in rat's group that received lorazepam, mixture group and lorazepam + mixture group, This indicates the existence of problems previously with the liver of the rat used, and what remains is the high levels of GOT and GPT in the control group, while TSB is within the normal range for all groups. Kidney parameters:-blood urea levels increased in all groups and S. creatinine levels within normal range for all groups.

Conclusion

the evaluation of natural SERMs in the forced swimming test showed promising antidepressant-like effects, comparable to lorazepam and acupuncture. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and determine optimal dosage and safety. Natural selective serotonin inhibitors hold potential as alternative or complementary treatments for depression.

Spiritual activities are concepts from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). According to TCM, each organ controls a spiritual function or activity. These activities are considered as the most ethereal in each of the components of organic phenomenology. Based on González's approaches in 2009, this paper proposes that spiritual activities correspond to neural pathways related to processes studied by neurosciences. In this sense, shen could corresponds to consciousness (including the level of alertness as well as the content of the thought); hun to the pathways related to the processing of the emotions and the activity of default network mode; yi to the processes involved in cognition (memory and learning); po with the oscillations that allow the renewal and maintenance of the processes, and zhi with processes could be related to motivational behaviors (yang aspect) and with the pathways of pleasure and reward (yin aspect).

Mixed dyslipidemia is defined as increased blood concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides. This pathology is considered a risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis or acute myocardial infarction.

We present the case of a 51-year-old patient with cholesterol and triglyceride levels above normal values who receives acupuncture treatment at points H 3 (Taichong), B 4 (Gongsun), E 40 (Fenglong), VB 34 (Yanglingquan), PC 5 (Jiangshi), H 14 (Qimen). After a treatment of 10 sessions (with a frequency of twice a week) with 1.5 cun acupuncture needles, insertion—except H 14 (Qimen) with transverse insertion following the curve of the rib—and manipulation with trepidation technique, we obtain as a result the relief of symptoms and a decrease in cholesterol (from 226.8 mg/dl to 95 mg/dl) and triglyceride (from 174.2 mg/dl to 118 mg/dl) concentrations, in addition to the reduction of cardiovascular risk according to the classical Framingham table.

Acupuncture points are essential for diagnosis and treatment in acupuncture. They are usually described in books and charts as a system of channels distributed along the body in precise and fixed places. However, despite its acceptance by academics, clinicians, and researchers, experimental evidence regarding the location and specificity of the acupoints is controversial. In this article we showed neurophysiological evidence to propose to propose that: a) the acupuncture point corresponds to an acupuncture receptive field of sensory neurons; and b) in situations such as pain and inflammation this receptive field is modified, showing neurodynamic and neuroplastic properties. Such changes in the peripheral nerve arborizations are associated with the organic conditions of the patient. Contextualization of the acupuncture receptive field is also consistent with mechanisms of acupoint sensitivity and unmasking of new acupuncture points, which would allow the understanding of similar clinical outcomes when puncturing sites close to acupuncture points. Likewise, this proposal emphasizes that for the design and execution of clinical trials, “control points” should be used away from the acupuncture receptive fields, to avoid biases in the results interpretation about clinical investigations with acupuncture.

Background

The recovery process is of utmost importance in activities where the athlete has to compete more than once a day during the competition. It is generally accepted that intense physical activity results in lactate production and the accumulation of lactate in exercising muscle is considered one of the main determining factors of fatigue.

Objective

The main goal of this pilot study was to evaluate the immediate effects of acupuncture on lactate removal after just one treatment session and to evaluate lactate, heart rate, and oxygen saturation behavior at 5, 30, and 60 min after exercise.

Methods

Four individuals were evaluated and were part of both the experimental group (real acupuncture) and the placebo group (sham acupuncture) and were tested at two distinct times with a one-week interval. Baseline values of lactate, heart rate, and oxygen saturation were measured, and then the participants performed a warm-up and subsequently completed the Wingate test. The individuals were re-evaluated 5, 30, and 60 min after the Wingate test, and either real or sham acupuncture was applied after the test.

Results

After the intervention period, there was an increased ability to reduce or remove lactate after maximum effort. No significant differences were observed in heart rate or oxygen saturation. Conclusions: The results of this case study seem to suggest that acupuncture has a positive effect on lactate removal after intense physical exercise.

The adverse events associated with acupuncture include infections with a range of causes. Reports worldwide document this phenomena, and it is recommended internationally that safe practice guides for acupuncture should be adopted to reduce the general incidence of adverse events, including infections associated with treatments of this type. Technical and regulatory documents are available for reference to achieve this aim. It is considered that if the professionals who practice acupuncture observed a series of aspects, this would affect the quality of care and in particular would help to reduce the incidence of adverse events associated with their practice. This paper describes the recommendations that are thought to be necessary to control the infections associated with the practice of acupuncture, and which are also applicable to similar techniques.

Acupuncture can control inflammation and pain by modulating various neuroimmunological communication pathways, including a catecholamine-dependent pathway. On the other hand, it has been reported that there are nerve terminals of the sympathetic nervous system in the dental pulp and these nerves can control the blood flow in the dental pulp. This study aimed to determine if acupuncture has an analgesic effect on the dental pulp and the relationship with neuroimmunological control elements in this tissue. A prospective cohort study was carried out with patients scheduled for tooth extraction for orthodontic reasons, which were treated with complementary management of electroacupuncture during the extraction process (n = 17). The success of dental anesthesia was determined using electrical tests and postoperative pain scales. In addition, the presence of the α2 adrenergic receptor in cells of immune lineage in dental pulp was determined by fluorescence microscopy. The results showed that complementary therapy with electroacupuncture has a success rate of 72.5%. In addition, cells of immune lineage in dental pulp expressed α2 adrenergic receptors. Consequently, the anatomical and molecular elements in the dental pulp related to catecholaminergic neuroimmune control are present. These anatomical and molecular elements may be related to pulp anesthesia and pain control during tooth extraction.