Gross Anatomy and Acupuncture: A Comparative Approach to Reappraise the Meridian System

Acupuncture originated in ancient China but is used around the world to treat a variety of diseases. Research has not provided conclusive evidence proving the existence of meridians, or the lines along which acupuncture needles are inserted. Currently, some members of the scientific community recognize the existence of acupuncture points but not of the meridians. Thus, when acupuncture is accepted, it is regarded as a suitable treatment for some symptoms and diseases, but its effectiveness is ascribed directly or indirectly to the nervous system. Gross anatomy is the discipline upon which scientific biomedicine is based, and the author uses juxtaposition to compare the shapes of the 12 main meridians with the anatomical shapes of their related organs; this comparison has revealed similarities that are worthy of consideration. This article discusses similarities between the shape of the Large Intestine and Kidney acupuncture meridians and the anatomy and embryology of the colon and urogenital tract in humans and other animals. Verification of these and other morphological similarities by human and comparative anatomists, geneticists, and biologists would support the hypothesis that meridians are involved in embryonic morphogenesis, extrauterine development, and the conservation of health. Such a possibility should increase scientific interest in the biophysical existence of meridians and prompt research that applies this new perspective to novel experimental projects.