American TCM Association, Vienna, VA 22182, USA; McLean Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, PLC, Vienna, VA 22182, USA.
J Integr Med. 2023 Jul;21(4):320-323. doi: 10.1016/j.joim.2023.06.001. Epub 2023 Jun 7.
In October 2021, an international collaborative study on the use of electroacupuncture (EA) to treat inflammation was published in the journal Nature by Dr. Qiufu Ma's team. Based on the results of EA on inflammation in the mouse model of lipopolysaccharide inflammatory storm, the study showed that the distal effect of acupuncture can be achieved by "driving the vagus-adrenal axis (through the adrenal medulla, by releasing catecholamines)." PROKR2-marked sensory neurons, which innervate the deep hindlimb fascia but not the abdominal fascia, are crucial for driving this axis. The study suggests the existence of specificity distribution of acupoints, that different EA stimulation intensities or different needle penetration depths have different therapeutic effects, that photosensitive stimulation may be a substitute for needle acupuncture, and that massage, stretching and body movements may also activate PROKR2-markable dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons and elicit anti-inflammatory effects. However, results of some other studies are contrary to the conclusions of Ma's team. For examples: low-intensity EA at GB30 point significantly reduced the inflammation in the rat model of persistent inflammation, which is more relevant to the real daily acupuncture practice, and this effect was partly related to the adrenal cortex and associated with the stimulation of corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone; manual acupuncture (similar to the low-intensity EA) at KI3, Zhichuan point (an extra point), etc. was effective in a severe COVID-19 patient with sepsis; stimulating ST25 with low-intensity EA or manual acupuncture was effective against gastrointestinal inflammations; the above mentioned points are not in an area enriched with PROKR2-marked sensory nerve endings. Evidence shows that the mechanism of EA against inflammation includes modulating multi-systems, multi-levels and multi-targets, which does not limit to "driving the vagus-adrenal axis." Please cite this article as: Fan AY. Anti-inflammatory mechanism of electroacupuncture involves the modulation of multiple systems, levels and targets and is not limited to "driving the vagus-adrenal axis." J Integr Med. 2023; 21(4):320-323.
2021 年 10 月,马秋富博士团队在《自然》杂志上发表了一项关于电针(EA)治疗炎症的国际合作研究。该研究基于脂多糖炎症风暴小鼠模型中电针对炎症的作用,表明针刺的远隔效应可以通过“驱动迷走神经-肾上腺轴(通过肾上腺髓质,释放儿茶酚胺)”来实现。支配深后肢筋膜但不支配腹部筋膜的标记为 PROKR2 的感觉神经元对于驱动这一轴至关重要。该研究提示穴位存在特异性分布,不同的 EA 刺激强度或不同的针刺深度有不同的治疗效果,光敏刺激可能是针刺的替代方法,按摩、拉伸和身体运动也可能激活标记为 PROKR2 的背根神经节感觉神经元并产生抗炎作用。然而,其他一些研究的结果与马秋富团队的结论相悖。例如:GB30 点的低强度 EA 显著降低了持续性炎症大鼠模型中的炎症,这与真实的日常针刺实践更相关,这种作用部分与肾上腺皮质有关,并与皮质酮和促肾上腺皮质激素的刺激有关;KI3、指串点(一个额外的穴位)等穴位的手动针刺(类似于低强度 EA)对一名患有脓毒症的严重 COVID-19 患者有效;用低强度 EA 或手动针刺刺激 ST25 对胃肠道炎症有效;上述穴位并不在富含标记为 PROKR2 的感觉神经末梢的区域。有证据表明,EA 对抗炎症的机制包括调节多系统、多层次和多靶点,不仅限于“驱动迷走神经-肾上腺轴”。请引用本文:Fan AY. 电针的抗炎机制涉及多系统、多层次和多靶点的调节,并不限于“驱动迷走神经-肾上腺轴”。J 整合医学。2023;21(4):320-323.