[Effects of acupuncture on diabetic peripheral neuropathies].

Objective: To observe therapeutic effect of acupuncture on diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and explore the mechanism.

Methods: Sixty-eight cases of DPN were treated with acupuncture at Jianyu (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11), Waiguan (TE 5) etc. and their blood sugar, blood lipids and hemorrheologic indexes and nerve conductive velocity before and after treatment were determined.

Results: After treatment, 43 cases were markedly effective, 20 cases were effective and 5 cases were ineffective, with a total effective rate of 92.6%; the nerve conductive velocity, plasma insulin, C-peptide, opioid peptides increased significantly (P<0.01) and blood viscosity significantly decreased (P<0.01).

Conclusion: Acupuncture has a definite therapeutic effect on DPN and the increase of nerve conductive velocity is possibly related with the increase of plasma opioid peptides.