ACUPUNCTURE AND HOMEOSTASIS OF BODY ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS

ACUPUNCTURE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Philip A.M. Rogers MRCVS

AP and Spinal Trauma, Paralysis, Polio, Epilepsy, Spasm

SPINAL TRAUMA, SPASTICITY, PARALYSIS

Han_JS; Chen XH; Yuan Y; Yan SC (1994) TENS for treatment of spinal spasticity. CMJ (UK) Jan 107(1):6-11. Neuroscience Research Centre, Beijing Med Univ, PRC. 32 patients with spinally originated muscle spasticity were treated with TENS, the Han's AP stimulator (HANS) via skin electrodes placed over the AP points on the hand and leg. High frequency (100 Hz), but not the low frequency (2 Hz), TENS was effective in relieving muscle spasticity. The therapeutic effect lasted for only 10 min in the first treatment, but it became consolidated after treatment once/d for 3 mo. The anti-spastic effect induced by high frequency TENS can be partially reversed by a high dose of naloxone. The anti-spastic effect elicited by peripheral TENS is mediated in the CNS, at least in part, by the endogenous opioid ligand interacting with the kappa opiate receptors, most probably dynorphin.

Jin_ZG (1996) Experimental Spinal Cord Traumatic Injury of the Cat Treated With EAP. Inst of AP and Moxibustion, China Acad of TCM, Beijing 100700, PRC. Adapted from WWW. 44 cats were used in this experiment. The spinal cords of 40 animals were injured at circa L1 level by using Allen's method (400g/cm) and assigned at random to 2 groups: A=EAP treatment (n=20); B=Control (n=20). At 2 wk after spinal cord injury, survival rates in groups A and B (80 and 45% respectively) differed significantly (p<.05). Motor-evoked potentials at 2 wk after spinal cord injury in groups A and B differed significantly in short latency peak 15.6+5.0 and 21.7+5.02 mS (p<.05) and in amplitude (10.6+0.59 and 0.56+0.32 mV; p<.05). Anti-NF-H (neurofilament) was determined at 2 and 4 wk respectively after spinal cord injury. Group A had significantly more (p<.01) NF-H positive labelling fibres than Group B. After traumatic injury to the spinal cord, EAP significantly improved survival rate and regeneration of the spinal cord.

Lopez_HS; Trigos GM; Titievsky JB (1993) Homeopathy, EAP and Laser Therapy in a Successful Treatment of a Complicated Wobbler Syndrome in a Dog: Case-Report. Vet Mexico Oct-Dec 24(4):339-341. HS Lopez, Natl Autonomous Univ Mexico, Fac Med Vet & Zootecn, Dept Fisiol & Farmacol, Mexico City 04510, DF, Mexico. We report successful treatment of a complicated case of wobbler Syndrome using homeopathy, EAP and laser-AP therapy. Cervical vertebral instability was associated with bilateral hip dysplasia and partial muscular atrophy of the hind limbs. This latter problem was treated 1 yr earlier with bilateral removal of the femoral heads followed by physiotherapy which enabled the dog to perform basic manoeuvres. EAP was given once/d for 10 d, then every 2 d for 2 mo. Then, laser-AP at the AP points was given once/d for 10 d and a further 30 d of treatment with simultaneous EAP and laser-AP were given every 2 d. Homeopathy was given during the whole treatment period. Although full recovery was not achieved, the patient showed outstanding control of movement. Independent strolling, self-feeding and full sphincter control made his life possible within the family surroundings.

Politis_MJ; Korchinski MA (1990) Beneficial effects of AP treatment after experimental spinal cord injury: a behavioral, morphological, and biochemical study. AETRIJ 15(1):37-49. Dept of Surgery, Univ of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. The uses and limitations of "first aid" AP treatment were assessed after spinal cord injury in rats. Spinal cords were exposed to a standardized contusion lesion at T8, followed by EAP stimulation of 3 points: BL60 (within the depression dorsal to the lateral malleolus), BL40 (popliteal space) and GV03 (intervertebral space between L4-L5). AP was given at either 15 min or 24 hrs after surgery. Control rats received spinal cord injury without AP treatment. Animals were assessed at 3 d post-operatively. Results showed improved function (as assessed by a combined behavioral score) in rats which had been treated with AP 15 min after injury relative to those that received no AP treatment. This was accompanied by minimization of post-traumatic cord shrinkage in AP-treated animals and a marked (3 fold) sparing of ventral horn neurons. Plasma cortisol levels rose over 3-fold within 2 h post-operatively in non-AP-treated rats, where these levels rose <2-fold in AP treated animals. None of the above beneficial effects occurred in rats given AP treatment 24 hrs after spinal cord injury. AP was useful as an adjunct treatment during early stages after spinal cord injury.

Qu_H; Ren L; Guo Y (1991) Combined application of scalp and body AP in the treatment of pseudobulbar paralysis. JTCM Sep 11(3):170-173. Hospital of TCM, Hexi District, Tianjin, PRC.

Yu_Y4 (1993) TENS at AP points to treat spinal spasticity: effects and mechanism. Chung Hua I Hsueh Tsa Chih Oct 73(10):593-595, 637. Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery, First Teaching Hospital, Beijing Med Univ, PRC. To study the effect and mechanism of electrostimulation in treating spinal spasticity, we used EAP on the surface of 2 couples of AP points. The short term application (30 min) of high-frequency EAP (100 Hz) produced an immediate antispastic effect in contrast to the low-frequency EAP (2 Hz). After application of high-frequency EAP (2 times/d, 30 min/time) for 3 mo, antispastic effect was stable. To keep this antispastic effect, the high-frequency EAP must be used permanently. Recent experimental results showed that low and high frequency EAP release MEK and dynorphin respectively from the spinal cord in humans. We infer that by enhancing the production of dynorphin in CSF, high-frequency EAP decrease the excitability of the motor neurons in the anterior horns through the kappa opiate receptors, thus ameliorating the muscle spasticity of spinal origin.