Peplow Philip V, Baxter G David
Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, New Zealand.
J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2012 Feb;5(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.jams.2011.11.018. Epub 2012 Jan 2.
Electrical stimulation at acupuncture points (acupoints) has been investigated for its utility in lowering blood glucose in hyperglycemic humans and animal models. Only two studies were found using electroacupuncture in human subjects, and in both of these, the participants were normal (nondiabetic) and electrical stimulation was carried out at several acupoints. It had a hypoglycemic effect in obese women with calorific restriction diet using electrical stimulation of 2 Hz for 30 minutes/day for 20 days, but no change occurred in blood glucose of fasted patients in the other study using 1 Hz for 15 minutes. Fourteen animal studies were found, of which, 11 were performed in diabetic and normal rats. A hypoglycemic effect was observed in fasted type 1 diabetic rats using the Zusanli (ST36) leg acupoint with electrical stimulation of 15 Hz for 30 minutes and 60 minutes. In fasted type 2 diabetic rats, blood glucose was lowered using the Zusanli acupoint with electrical stimulation parameters of 15 Hz and 10 mA for 30 minutes. Also, using the Zhongwan (CV12) abdomen acupoint with electrical stimulation parameters of 15 Hz and 10 mA for 90 minutes had a hypoglycemic effect in fasted type 2 diabetic rats. In fasted normal rats, electrical stimulation of 2 Hz or 15 Hz for 30 minutes at the Zusanli or Zhongwan acupoint caused a decrease in blood glucose. Future studies are required in fasted diabetic rats to determine the effect of electroacupuncture on blood levels of insulin, lipids, fatty acids and β-endorphin, and blood flow and nerve conduction velocity. Studies with fasted normal and diabetic human subjects treated by electroacupuncture are warranted using data from animal experiments to inform such studies.
针刺穴位的电刺激已被研究其在降低高血糖人类和动物模型血糖方面的效用。仅发现两项针对人类受试者使用电针的研究，在这两项研究中，参与者均为正常（非糖尿病）人群，且在多个穴位进行了电刺激。在热量限制饮食的肥胖女性中，每天使用2赫兹电刺激30分钟，持续20天，有降血糖作用，但在另一项使用1赫兹电刺激15分钟的研究中，空腹患者的血糖未发生变化。发现了14项动物研究，其中11项是在糖尿病大鼠和正常大鼠中进行的。在空腹的1型糖尿病大鼠中，使用足三里（ST36）腿部穴位，以15赫兹电刺激30分钟和60分钟，观察到有降血糖作用。在空腹的2型糖尿病大鼠中，使用足三里穴位，电刺激参数为15赫兹和10毫安，持续30分钟，可降低血糖。此外，在空腹的2型糖尿病大鼠中，使用中脘（CV12）腹部穴位，电刺激参数为15赫兹和10毫安，持续90分钟，也有降血糖作用。在空腹的正常大鼠中，在足三里或中脘穴位以2赫兹或15赫兹电刺激30分钟会导致血糖下降。未来需要对空腹糖尿病大鼠进行研究，以确定电针疗法对胰岛素、脂质、脂肪酸和β-内啡肽的血液水平以及血流和神经传导速度的影响。有必要对空腹的正常人和糖尿病患者进行电针治疗的研究，并利用动物实验数据为这类研究提供参考。
