Effect of acupuncture on adrenocortical hormone production: I. Variation in the ability for adrenocortical hormone production in relation to the duration of acupuncture stimulation.

The effect of acupuncture on adrenocortical hormone production in adult female albino rabbits of New Zealand strain was investigated. There was significant increase compared to the control cortisol and corticosterone following application of acupuncture at the locus Tsu-San-Li. In the non-locus group, such treatment resulted in only a transient raise followed by a significant fall in cortisol and corticosterone. Acupuncture treatment with electric current for 1 hour proved to be unique in that it gave rise to no biphasic change in the 14C uptake of the steroids. These results indicate that adrenal production of corticosterone and cortisol was enhanced by acupuncture and electroacupuncture at the Tsu-San-Li locus.