Effects of Cathode Direct-Current Electroacupuncture Stimulus of the Promixal Anterior Lower Limbs on Heart Rate and Lumbar Blood Flow.

There has been little research on direct-current acupuncture. This study was conducted to verify the effect of acupuncture current intensity and polarity on heart rate (HR) when applying direct-current electroacupuncture (DCEA) to the proximal anterior part of the lower limbs and to clarify the effect of cathodes (-) on lumbar blood flow. This study was conducted at Teikyo Heisei University, Chiba, Japan. The subjects were 144 healthy male volunteers (21.7 ± 0.6 years' old). These participants were divided into 1 control, 1 manual acupuncture (MA), and 3 DECEA groups (-25 μ, +75 μ, and -75 μ). Acupuncture was performed on the lower limbs (at ST 36), and HR and intertissue blood flow (ITBF) were observed as the main outcome measures. For intensity, HR was significantly lower in the -75 μ group than in the control ( < 0.001), MA ( < 0.001), and -25 μ ( < 0.01) groups. For polarity, HR was significantly lower in the -75 μ group than in the +75 μ group ( = 0.0028). For blood flow, the volume of HbO in the L-4-L-5 region at 1 minute after stimulation was significantly higher in the -75 μ stimulus group than in the MA group ( < 0.05). There was no change in the T-7-T-8 region. A -75 μ stimulus to ST 36 reduced HR and increased ITBF.