[in Japanese]

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Vibration applied to the human palm or sole skin induces the tonic finger or toe flexion reflex. This reflex occured merely in 30per cent of the subjects, however the toe flexion reflex was induced in almost all subjects by increase of voluntary flexion of the toe or upward rotation of the ancle joint. This reflex was used as an indicator of the effectiveness of acupuncture stimulation (AS). Electroacupuncture stimulation was mainly applied to the skin with the intensity of perception threshold. AS sites used were Ho-ku, Wai-kuan, etc.. As a rule, this reflex was inhibited strongly and the inhibitory effect continued for 30min or more. AS applied simultaneously to the acupuncture point and its neighboring area showed summation of the inhibitory effect on the reflex. There was no difference between the effects of AS applied to the same or neighboring dermatome. AS to periphery of limbs was effective but AS to the body was almost ineffective. These results suggest that there is no specificity of the acupuncture point and there are both segmental and nonsegmental mechanisms participate in this inhibitory of AS on vibration-induced flexion reflex.

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We invented to clarify the influences of acupuncture on the regional skin electroconductivity on humans. An acupuncture needle in situ for a certain time or electroacupuncture using DC 12 volt, 200μA for 7 sec. was applied on the forearm.
Measurements of skin electroconductivity were done on several representative points which were distal or proximal to the acupuncture periodically.
A needle in situ and electroacupuncture on LI4 did not change the electroconductvity of the proximal skin area around the elbow level on the same extremity.
A needle in situ on LI11 increased electroconductivity of the regional skin on the distal area around Manus dorsalis.
Electroacupuncture on LI11 increased electroconductivity of the skin on LI5.
A needle in situ on LI7 did not change electroconductivity of the skin on the proximal elbow level, but significantly decreased electroconductivity of the skin on LU9.

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After being stimulated by the application of electroacupuncture (EA) to “KOTAN” leg point (bilaterally), chickens became sedated and showed and showed analgesia with little response to skin clamping. Following the observation of M waves of Motor nerves and evoked responses of Sensory nerves, it was found that while efferent information was temporarily inhibited during EA stimulation, afferent information was depressed during EA and the effect continued for several hours after termination of EA. It is suggested that these phenomena may be controled by neurohumoral mechanisms.

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Purpose
The transient decrease in heart rate occurring in response to acupuncture stimulation is a rapid reaction observed immediately after the stimulation. The reaction is considered to occur via some autonomic nervous pathway. The relationship between the decrease in heart rate due to acupuncture stimulation and the autonomic nervous system was studied based on Tanaka et al.'s test of the autonomic nervous functions.
Methods
Heart rate is, physiologically, determined by acceleration by the sympathetic nervous system, the, β-stimulator particularly, and control of inhibition achieved through the parasympathetic nerve (vagus nerve) as well as by automatism of the heart. On the basis of this fact, the vagus nerve and the β-stimulator system of the sympathetic nerve were blocked with a large amount of atropine sulfate (0.04mg/kg) and propranolol hydrochloride (0.2mg/kg) to observe the effects of acupuncture stimulation on changes in heart rate, and to study the role of each autonomic nervous system.
Results
The group in which administration of atropine sulfate preceded that of propranolol hydrochloride: After acupuncture stimulation before drug administration the heart rate definitely decreased, but the degree of decrease brought about by stimulation after administration of atropine was clearly lower than that before administration. The reaction caused by acupuncture stimulation was controlled by administration of propranolol following administration of atropine.
The group in which administration of propranolol preceded that of atropine: Heart rate was decreased by acupuncture stimulation before drug administration. The degree of decrease after administration of propranolol was lower than that before administration. When atropine was additionally administered, the decrease caused by the stimulation was controlled.
From these results of administration in the two groups, it was revealed that the decrease in heart rate caused by acupuncture stimulation occurred via excitement of the vagus nerve and control by the β-stimulator system of the sympathetic nerves.

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In order to examine the effect of ear-acupuncture on functional constipation, 37 cases were divided into two groups: group A of scybalum (20 cases) and group B of non-scybalum (17 cases). Intracutaneous needles were applied to the bilateral lung point for two weeks, and the changes of their bowel movement were compared. In addition, the same treatment was undertaken for 7 cases (group C, spastic constipation group), in which efficacy of Scopolamine-N-butylbromide (Buscopan), a parasympathetic nerve blocker, was proved. Improvement was noticed in 18 cases (90%) of group A, whereas only in 6 (35.3%) cases of group B. Moreover, 7(41.2%) of group B experienced aggravation. In group C, improvement was noted in 6 (85.8%) cases. It is suggested that ear-acupuncture to the lung point inhibits the parasympathetic nerve activity and relieves spastic constipation.

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Differences between right-side and left-side stimulations in ear acupuncture treatment for obesity were examined. In Method I, 39 patients with simple obesity were randomly divided into two groups: bilateral lung points stimulation group (BL) and right cardia point stimulation group (R₁). In Method II, 24 patients with simple obesity were randomly divided into two groups: right cardia points st mulation group (R₂) and that of left one (L). Ear acupuncture was undertaken for both groups for four weeks. The appetite depressing effect and change of body weight and taste were compared. In Method I, BL showed better appetite-depressing effect and body weight loss than R₁. Highly increased salt-taste sensitivity was seen in both BL and R₁ groups. Positive correlation was seen between pretreatment salt-taste threshold and amount of body weight loss in (R₂) group (r=0.794), and the same tendency was also seen in L (r=0.536), i. e. the higher pretreatment threshold, the larger amount of wight loss. The fact that more abrupt tilt of regression line was seen in (R₂) suggests that stimulation of the right-side pointI was more effective than that of left-side.

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In daily clinic, we are greatly concerned with the sterilization of oriental needles and appliances.
Staphylococcus epidermitis and aureus, bacillus subtilis and pseudomonas aeruginosa and so on were detected when we cultivated bacteria on daily oriental needles in our clinical office. The author intestigated the ability of six sterilization methods; (1) ultra violet (253.7nm) 10 minutes, (2) wiping out by medical raw cotten contained water, (3) wiping out by medical raw cotten contained isopropylalcohol 70%, (4) dipping in isopropylalcohol 10 minutes, (5) dipping in 0.5% Hibitane (chlorhexidine) alcohol 10 minutes, (6) autoclave.
Among these six methods, the autoclave method is excellent of course, but among the simpler methods, the following one is excellent; after having wiping out oriental needles a few times by medical raw cotton contained 70% isopropylalcohol or 0.5% chlorhexidine, dipping in 0.5% chlorhexidine alcohol 10 minutes.
It is not necessary for this method to use machines, electricity, gas or over 30 minutes: it is enough to dip chlorhexidine for 10 minutes.

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The Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) are in the abnormal situation of the central nervous system, especially in that of the medulla oblongate and pons. By using the Amon point, studies were performed on the relationship between the blood pressure and the dosage, and on the effect of controling the blood pressure of SHR in the prehypertensive stage.
Material and Method
Males in two weeks after birth were divided in three groups (6-8 each) and given a stimulating moxibustion on the Amon point analogus to that of human to SHR. The amount of the stimulation were dosed by the moxa of 0.01g per 10g body weight (BW) in T₁ group that of 0.005g per 10g BW in T₅ group. The control group was free from stimuration.
Result
More generous rise in blood pressure was observed in the stimulated group, especially a favarable result in T₅ group, concerning body weight, both treated groups showed significantly low compared to that of the control untill 129 days after birth. The organ weight of the adrenal and the cerebrum was significantly high in both the treated groups compared to those of the control. By assay of serum catecholamine, adrenaline in T₅ group was significantly low.
Discussion and Conclusion
Stimulating moxibustion was effective to the development of hypertension in SHR in the prehypertensive stage. Histologically, in the lungs of the treated groups, expressly in T₅ group, less fibrirous inframmation was observed. The stimulation may be considered to enhance somehow immunity. The dosage of the stimulation was considered to be not parallel to its effectiveness.

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Previously we reported effects of acupuncture to the stellate ganglion on measurements of skin electroconductivity by a Neurometer.
By using 8 healthy adults and 23 patients, we measured effects of electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion on carotid blood flow, deep tissue temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate in order to clarify the influence on functions of the autonomic nervous system.
After electrical acupuncture to the right stellate ganglion (SGA), the right and left carotid blood flow decreased with 4-9% and 7-12%, respectively. Deep tissue temperature of the right anterior forearm after SGA showed a little increase (with no significance), while the temperature increased with 0.4-0.7°C after the right stellate ganglion block (SGB). Deep tissue temperature of the left anterior forearm showed no significant change after SGA, while it increased with 0.1-0.3°C significantly after SGB. Systolic blood pressure increased with 2-4mmHg after SGA and this also increased with 9-11mmHg after SGB. Those increases were significant. While the pulse rate decreased (2bpm) significantly after SGA, it increased (4-6bpm) significantly after SGB.
Except the decreased pulse rate after SGA, the other data did not support a common hypothesis that electrical acupuncture to the stellate ganglion suppresses the sympathetic system as SGB.

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This paper was primarily concerned with the effect of acupuncture treatment on blood pressure and heart rate.
Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured before and after acupuncture treatment in one hundred new outpatients in the clinic of Research Institute of Oriental Medicine, Kinki University. Fifty patients were finally recognized to be worthy of the present analysis. Application of “t” test was done in these 50 patients and 18 normal persons.
In a comparison of acupunctured group with control group, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure showed a statistically significant rise, but heart rate did not.
According to the effect on blood pressure, acupuncture practitioners were divided into three groups. Among these groups, heart rate showed a statistically insignificant change.
These results suggest that the reaction pathway of the biological effect of acupuncture treatment on blood pressure is different from that on heart rate. It is also suggested that the therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment is highly influenced by the technique of acupuncture practitioners.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in muscle strength of the quadriceps femoris after intraarticular acupuncture treatment of the affected joint in subjects with unilateral osteoarthritic knee. Isometric muscle strength was measured by standard dynamometry at 90 degree knee flexion when the subjects contracted the quadriceps muscle slowly and maximally without any pain.
In the preliminary experiment, the repeated measurement yielded a high reliability coefficient (correlation coefficient r=0.95, there is no significant difference between the two means) in the affected knee as well as the normal side for 19 patients with osteoarthritic knee.
Nine subjects, whose muscle strength of the affected side had fallen by more than 20% compared with the normal side, participated in the study. An acupuncture needle was inserted into the point where the tenderness of the affected meniscus was marked. The results revealed a noticeable increase in muscle strength of the quadriceps femoris in the affected side from 14.3±2.2kg before acupuncture to 22.9±3.0kg after intraarticular acupuncture (p<0.001), with no significant change in the normal side from 26.0±2.4kg to 27.1±2.8kg (p>0.05).
A hypothesis was formulated that the dicreased muscle strength of the quadriceps femoris in the osteoarthritic knee results from reflex inhibition from joint receptors and that intro-articular acupuncture has a disinhibition effect on this inhibition of the extensor muscle activity.

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[in Japanese]

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We investigated changes of the amperage on the dorsalis by the hand acupuncture under the condition of DC 12 volt, 200uA when both electrodes are connected.
(Method) We leaved a stainless steel needle, 25mm lenght and 0.26mm in diameter, on the first lumbar and thigh region point of 16 healthy adults for 10min. 2×2cm aluminum foil coated with keratin cream was used as a elcectrode for the measurement. We measured in pre-practice, post-practice, 10min, 20min, and 30min. The measurement velues in every time were examined by means principal component analysis.
(Results) Acupuncture stimulation on the first lumbar and thigh region point showed the tendency of operation upon the symmetric L4resion.

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Acupoint-selection is very important in acupuncture treatment as well as diagnosis. There are two methods of acupoint-selection: meridian treatment according to the law of the five elements and symptomatic treatment. When actupuncture treatment is undertaken, well-grounded acupoint-selection should be done. Since old times, a large literature has been writen on the symptomatic treament, and which acupoints to be selected for which disease has been mentioned, but the reason has not been shown. In order to find out a basis for the symptomatic treatment, the author conducted the investigation as to which acupoint had been actually used for which subjective or objective findings. Sujects were 2, 083 cases with internal subjective symptoms which were common among more than five cases. They were chosen from those who visited the Institute for Oriental Medicine from Jan. 13 1956 to Dec. 30 1968. As a result, a certain pattern in the symptomatic treatment was obtained.

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According to the recent advanced studies on diabetes mellitus, the types of the disease are complecated. So it is too difficult to do treatments for the patients. And then, it is important that the patients themselves must do self-controls such as taking special diet or doing specific exercise. And the purpose of treatment of diabetes is chiefly to prevent the advancement of the complications of the diseases.
The authors report here the curative effect of the acupuncture therapy on the patients suffering from diabetes mellitus with its complications in a various advanced stages. Three patients were done the acupuncture therapy who had clinically diagnosed as diabetes mellitus and the acupuncture therapy was applied everyday or several times a week. We observed clinically the changes of the diabetic conditions such as subjective symptoms or FBS (Fasting Blood Sugar Level).
Following the acupuncture therapy, the patients of three cases were reduced gradually the subjective symptoms and controled FBS to the normal level. However, when the intervals of acupuncture therapy were elongated or acupuncture therapy was postoponed, blood sugar levels showed an unstable tendency.
Therefore, the authors concluded that it was necessary to treat the diabetic patients with more longer and frequently with.

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