The efficacy of acupressure at the Sanyinjiao point in the improvement of women's general health

An estradiol-independent BDNF-NPY cascade is involved in the antidepressant effect of mechanical acupuncture instruments in ovariectomized rats

Menopause-related depression devastates women's quality of life after middle age. Previous research has shown that estrogen hormone therapy has serious adverse effects; thus, complementary and integrative therapies have been considered clinically. The present study investigates whether stimulation of an acupoint using a mechanical acupuncture instrument (MAI) can mitigate depression-like behavior caused by estrogen deficiency in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The animals were divided into Sham OVX, OVX, OVX + Sameumgyo (SP6) and OVX + NonAcu (non-acupuncture point) groups. MAI stimulation significantly increased the total distance traveled in the open-field test and the number of open-arm entries in the elevated plus maze and decreased the duration of immobility in the forced swim test. In addition to this decrease in depression-like behavior, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) release increased in the hippocampus in response to MAI treatment, but estradiol levels did not recover. Furthermore, microinjection of the BDNF receptor antagonist ANA-12 (0.1 pmol/1 μl) into the hippocampus before MAI stimulation significantly suppressed the recovery of NPY levels. Taken together, these findings indicate that MAI stimulation at SP6 facilitates an estradiol-independent BDNF-NPY cascade, which may contribute to its antidepressant effects in OVX rats, an animal model of menopausal disorders.

Acupuncture attenuates hyperglycaemia and improves ovarian function in female rats subjected to continuous light exposure

OBJECTIVE

Exposure to unnatural light cycles is increasingly associated with obesity and the metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on glucose metabolism and ovarian function in female rats subjected to long-term continuous light exposure.

METHODS

Female Sprague-Dawley rats (n=24) were divided into three experimental groups: an LD group that was maintained under a normal light-dark cycle (healthy control); an LL group that was exposed to continuous light for 21 weeks but remained untreated; and an LL+EA group that received EA at ST36 and SP6 during weeks 17 to 21 of continuous light exposure.

RESULTS

Oestrous cycles of female rats kept in a continuously lit environment for 21 weeks were disordered and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-like changes occurred, accompanied by increased fasting blood glucose (6.23±0.33 vs 5.27±0.40 mmol/L in week 17, p=0.015) and reduced fasting levels of serum testosterone (0.07±0.018 vs 0.12±0.058 ng/L, p=0.043) and insulin (0.89±0.20 vs 1.43±0.46 ng/L, p=0.006). After 5 weeks of EA treatment at ST36 and SP6, ovarian cycle disruption was mitigated and blood glucose levels showed a gradual decline (5.18±0.37 vs 5.80±0.55 mmol/L, p=0.017; and 5.73±0.31 vs 6.62±0.13 mmol/L, p=0.004; in the fourth and fifth weeks of EA treatment, respectively). EA also attenuated the reductions otherwise seen in serum insulin and testosterone levels.

CONCLUSION

Prolonged exposure to light can lead to a decline in ovarian and pancreatic function. EA at ST36 and SP6 may reduce abnormally elevated blood glucose levels and improve ovarian and pancreatic hormone levels.

Contemporary acupressure therapy: Adroit cure for painless recovery of therapeutic ailments

Since time immemorial, complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) have played a significant role in human health care. CAM is known to have a strong reputation and reliability within every culture to provide basic health care treatment for patients. CAM acts as a better therapeutic option in human being for treating various diseases and improving quality of life with apt consideration to the economic aspects. Acupressure, one of the known CAM, originated in ancient China is based on the principal of acupoints activation across the meridians which correct the imbalance between Qi. Activation of specific points on the meridians is known to facilitate reduction of pain at the local sites. It also reduces the pain from other body parts. This review outlines various types, devices and mechanisms involved in the acupressure treatment.

Effectiveness of SP6 (Sanyinjiao) acupressure for relief of primary dysmenorrhea symptoms: A systematic review with meta- and sensitivity analyses

We reviewed the available evidence for SP6 (Sanyinjiao) acupressure for the relief of primary dysmenorrhea (PD) symptoms, as well as patients' experiences of this intervention. We searched six relevant databases and gray literature for publications dated up to March 2016. The search yielded 72 potential studies. Six of these studies, contributing a total of 461 participants, were included in this review. The primary outcome was pain intensity. Studies with significant homogeneity were pooled for meta-analysis. Qualitative data and quantitative data not suitable for meta-analysis were presented as a narrative synthesis. The Cochrane criteria demonstrated that the included studies were generally of low quality with a high risk of bias. SP6 acupressure delivered by trained personnel significantly decreased pain intensity immediately after the intervention (effect size = -0.718; CI = -0.951 to -0.585; p = 0.000), and pain relief remained up to 3 h after the intervention (effect size = -0.979; CI = -1.296 to 0.662; p = 0.000). However, patient-administered intervention required multiple monthly cycles to effect pain reduction. SP6 acupressure appears to be effective when delivered by trained personnel for some PD symptoms. Findings suggest that self-administered acupressure shows promise for the alleviation of PD symptoms. High-quality research is needed before conclusive recommendations are proposed.

The effect of acupressure at third liver point on the anxiety level in patients with primary dysmenorrhea

Background:

Primary dysmenorrhea may lead to severe anxiety and pain relief during menstruation may reduce the anxiety levels. This study was aimed to determine the effect of acupressure at third liver and placebo points on the anxiety level in patients with primary dysmenorrhea.

Materials and Methods:

This clinical trial was conducted in parallel in the control and treatment groups for three menstrual periods at the dormitory of Kashan University of Medical Sciences between March and June 2012. Students with pain score equal to or greater than 4 were selected and divided into groups based on severity of pain using a randomized block design with the allocation ratio of 1:1. Acupressure was applied in two acupoints including third Liver point (Liv3) and placebo points. Spielberg (STAI) anxiety questionnaire was completed before and after intervention. Randomization, subjects, and data analyzer were blinded to the analysis. Chi-square tests, t-test, Mann-Whitney, paired sample t-test, and univariate analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis. P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results:

Mean [standard deviation (SD)] values of apparent anxiety levels before and after intervention for liv3 were 45.100 (9.769) and 38.100 (10.608), respectively. For the control group, they were 41.200 (9.795) and 38.900(10.140), respectively. Difference was significant only in the intervention group (P < 0.001). Hidden anxiety did not show a significant change before and after intervention. There was no difference between groups in apparent or hidden anxiety after intervention.

Conclusions:

Pressure on liv3 point reduces anxiety. As there are no previous studies on this topic, further studies with more samples are recommended.

Sham Acupressure Controls Used in Randomized Controlled Trials: A Systematic Review and Critique

OBJECTIVES

To explore the commonly utilized sham acupressure procedures in existing acupressure trials, and to assess whether different types of sham interventions yield different therapeutic outcomes, and, as far as possible, to identify directions for the future development of an adequate sham acupressure method.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials comparing true acupressure with sham interventions were included. Thirteen electronic databases were adopted to locate relevant studies from inception to July 3, 2014. Meanwhile, eight Chinese journals on complementary and alternative medicine were manually searched to locate eligible articles. In addition, eligible studies listed in the reference lists of the included papers and other related systematic reviews on acupressure were also screened to further search any potentially eligible trials. Methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the risk of bias assessment tool developed by the Cochrane Back Review Group. Descriptive analysis was adopted to summarize the therapeutic outcomes.

RESULTS

Sixty-six studies with 7265 participants were included. Methodological quality of the included trials was generally satisfactory. Six types of sham acupressure approaches were identified and "non-acupoint" stimulation was the most frequently utilized sham point while an acupressure device was the most commonly used approach for administering sham treatments. Acupressure therapy was a beneficial approach in managing a variety of health problems and the therapeutic effect was found to be more effective in the true acupressure groups than that in the sham comparative groups. No clear association could be identified between different sham acupressure modalities and the reported treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

A great diversity of sham acupressure controls have been used in clinical practice and research. A solid conclusion whether different sham alternatives are related to different treatment outcomes cannot be derived because of significant clinical heterogeneity among the analyzed trials. Non-acupoints are generally recommended but the definite locations should be identified with caution. For studies using single sham acupoints on hands or legs, it is suggested to apply identical acupressure devices on the same acupoint as in the active intervention without any stimulation. While for studies on pain, stimulation of sham acupoints should be avoided.

Analysis and Thoughts about the Negative Results of International Clinical Trials on Acupuncture

An increasing number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture have proved the clinical benefits of acupuncture; however, there are some results that have shown negative results or placebo effects. The paper carried out an in-depth analysis on 33 RCTs in the 2011 SCI database, the quality of the reports was judged according to Jadad scores, and the "Necessary Information Included in Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA 2010)" was taken as the standard to analyze the rationality of the therapeutic principle. The difference between the methodology (Jadad) scores of the two types of research reports did not constitute statistical significance (P > 0.05). The studies with negative results or placebo effects showed the following deficiencies with respect to intervention details: (1) incompletely rational acupoint selection; (2) inconsistent ability of acupuncturists; (3) negligible needling response to needling; (4) acupuncture treatment frequency too low in most studies; and (5) irrational setting of placebo control. Thus, the primary basis for the negative results or placebo effects of international clinical trials on acupuncture is not in the quality of the methodology, but in noncompliance with the essential requirements proposed by acupuncture theory in terms of clinical manipulation details.