Effectiveness and cerebral responses of multi-points acupuncture for primary insomnia: a preliminary randomized clinical trial and fMRI study.

Background: Primary insomnia (PI) is characterized by difficulties in initiating sleep or maintaining sleep, which lead to many serious diseases. Acupuncture for PI has drawn attention with its effectiveness and safety. However, the operation of choosing acupoints lacks scientific suggestion.

Efficacy of compatible acupoints and single acupoint versus sham acupuncture for functional dyspepsia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Acupoint selection is a key factor in the treatment of diseases and has not been well studied. The aim of this trial is to explore the differences in efficacy between compatible acupoints and a single acupoint for patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).

Methods: This randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the First Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Chinese Medicine in China.

[Review on application of neural tracing technique to experimental research of acupuncture].

Objective: To collect literatures on the application of neural tracing technique in experimental acupuncture research, and summarize its application status in acupoints, meridians and Zang-fu organs.

Methods: We collected papers published from databases of CNKI (1979-2017), Wan-Fang (1990-2017), VIP (1989-2017) and PubMed(1997-2017)by using keywords of "neural tracing technique" "neuroanatomic tracing" "neural tracers" and "acupuncture" "electroacupuncture" "auricular acupuncture" "eye acupuncture" "meridians" "acupuncture points" "acupoint injection", and made a summary about the current state of application of neural tracing technique in the fields of acupoint, meridian and Zang-fu organs (viscera).

Results: A total of 94 articles were collected, the most commonly used neural tracers were horseradish peroxidase and cholera toxin subunit B.

[Analysis of Compatibility Laws for Acupoint Selection of Acupuncture in Treating Diabetic Gastroparasis].

Objective: To summarize and analyze the compatibility laws for acupoint selection of acupuncture in treating diabetic gastroparasis (DGP) in modern literatures of clinical researches.

Methods: Retrieved were literatures related to treating DGP by acupuncture or acupuncture combined other therapies from PubMed, CNKI, and WF from 1982 to 2014. Analyzed were frequency of acupoint use, meridians selected acupoints belonged to, regions selected, association laws of selected compatible acupoints.

[The expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide in the sensory and motor neurons associated with "Hegu" (LI 4) in the rat].

Objective: To investigate the chemical expression of the primary sensory and motor neurons associated with "Hegu" (LI 4) area by using neural tracing and fluorescent immunohistochemical techniques.

Methods: A total of 4 SD rats were used in the present study. After anesthesia, the rats received microinjection of 5 microL of Alexa Fluor 594 conjugated cholera toxin subunit B (AF 594-CTB) into the right "Hegu" (LI 4) area for observing the distribution of the related primary sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and motor neurons in the spinal cord (C 1 - C 5).

[Segmental and regional distribution of neurons and their axonal projection associated with acupoint "yongquan" (KI 1) in the rat: cholera toxin subunit B method].

Objective: To observe the distribution of neurons and their axonal projection associated with "Yongquan" (KI 1) area by neural tracing technique with cholera toxin subunit B (CTB).

Methods: A total of 5 microL of 1% CTB solution was injected into the front central part of hind foot plantar (corresponding to the KI 1 region in the human body) using a Hamilton microsyringe. After 3 survival days, the rats were deeply anesthetized and transcardically perfused for collecting the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), spinal cord and brain tissues.

Neuroanatomical basis for acupuncture point PC8 in the rat: neural tracing study with cholera toxin subunit B.

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the innervations related to acupuncture point PC8 in rats using a neural tracing technique.

Methods: After 6 μL of 1% cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) was injected into the site between the second and third metacarpal bone in rats, a corresponding site to acupuncture point PC8 in the human body, CTB labelling was examined with immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), spinal cord and brainstem.

Results: All CTB labelling appeared on the ipsilateral side of the injection.