A Neurovascular Blood-Flow Modulation Model via Acupuncture Induced Nitric Oxide

Acupuncture is a practice of inserting needles into the body to reduce pain or induce anesthesia. More broadly, acupuncture is a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical locations on or beneath the skin by a variety of techniques. Employing acupuncture to treat human illness or to maintain body health has been practiced for thousands of years. Recently, models able to describe the mode of action of acupuncture have aroused scientists’ curiosity. Scientific interest in acupuncture has led numerous investigators to conduct clinical trials that have tested the efficacy of acupuncture at various acupuncture points. However, the mechanism(s) of action of acupuncture at the various meridians are still poorly understood. The traditional Chinese medical theory says: ‘Qi acts as the commander of blood and blood acts as the mother of Qi’. This is a general description of the effects of Qi on blood and this theory can be extended to include the ideas that Qi promotes blood circulation and controls the blood functioning. Furthermore blood conveying Qi and blood nourishing Qi. Previous studies have provided a variety of information regarding the physiological effects of acupuncture on animal and human bodies. Most of them have indicated that acupuncture is able to increase blood flow [1], and at the acupuncture points and meridians have a high electrical conductance [2, 3]. A relationship has also been suggested that among those acupuncture points and meridians with connective tissue planes [4] and the perivascular space [5]. A number of possible mechanisms by which acupuncture acts have been reviewed [6]. The results obtained from human and animal studies have shown that acupuncture enhances the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and increases local circulation [7]. Kim, et al. (2006) pointed out that employing acupuncture on stomach 36 point (ST-36) is able to reduce blood pressure by activating NO signaling mechanisms [8]. Ma (2003) showed that NO content and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) expression were consistently higher at skin acupuncture points/meridians [9]. Chen et al. (2005) showed that L-arginine-derived NO synthesis appears to mediate the noradrenergic function of skin sympathetic nerve activation and that this contributes to skin electrical resistance of the acupuncture points and meridians [10]. NO is known to exert an effect on a number of functions including the regulation of blood pressure, contributing to the immune response, the control of neurotransmission and participation in cell differentiation and other physiological functions [11]. NO, a diffusible