Abstract
The TCM philosophy of a meridian and associated channels pertains to the specific function of one or more organs. We define the Lung Primary Meridian (LUM) together with the Lung Sinew (LUSC), Divergent (LUDC), Luo-connecting (LULCC) Channels as a system of routes plus some parts of the body (such as muscles) to fulfil respiration, as a main function under different situations. There is very limited information about the Lung associated channels in classical literature of TCM. With a clear focus on the function of respiration, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the biomedical consequence of stimulating the LUM, analysed the roles played by LUSC, LUDC, and LULCC. The updated LUM and LUDC include acupoints of other meridians, serving the same purpose of performing satisfactory respiration starting from checking the quality of the inflow through the nose. The LUSC includes the respiratory muscles (plus the associated connective tissues) extending to various parts of the body. The muscles of the limb (as part of the LUSC) embrace the nerves that provide routes for somatosensory reflexes and play the role of locomotion, providing voluntary respiration via the pectoralis muscles. The muscles of LUSC are bounded by stiff connective tissue layers, forming compartments, and are part of the pulley system for various body locomotions. Within a compartment, the interstitial fluid, blood, lymph flows must be potent to protect the associated nerves related to LUM; the healthy state of the LUSC also provides freedom of various types of locomotion. The LULCC exists because the vagus nerve has a part of it passing through the spinal cords all the way down to the sacrum domain, with exiting nerve innervating two-third of the large intestine. The crucial steps of our deductions are supported by experimental evidence based on modern neurophysiology and kinesiology. We discover that all the four channels stated above work as a unit system to allow respiration to be possible under various postures/conditions. The complexity of structures and processes is eased off by providing 29 figures and 13 tables for the relevant muscles and nerves. In addition to respiration, the Lung system in TCM context includes interaction of this system with the sweat gland and neuroendocrine system; such aspects will be left to another study.
Highlights
One of the most important issues in bridging western and the non-herbal part of TCM is the realization of the importance of mechanotransduction in almost all physiological processes—mechanical/electrical force is the key initiator of numerous biochemical reactions taking place in physiological process of living organisms [1]
In the previous work of [17], we have provided the necessary background materials of neurophysiology, plus somatosensory reflex in the brain cortex, and have explained the mechanism via which stimulation of acupoints of the Lung Meridian would lead to activating a branch of T1 nerve having axons projecting to the root of the lungs; we have explained how the reflex efferent from the cortex would mobilize thoracic nerves, leading to the activation of the intercostal muscles in general [17]
We propose that the extraordinary acupoints Bitong and Yingxiang should be included as the acupoints of the Lung Meridian based on neurophysiological analysis—Bian stone maneuver on these sites of Bitong (LUSP-1 = M-HN-14) and Yingxiang (LUSP-2 = LI-20) can improve the fluency of inflow air
Summary
One of the most important issues in bridging western and the non-herbal part of TCM is the realization of the importance of mechanotransduction in almost all physiological processes—mechanical/electrical force is the key initiator of numerous biochemical reactions taking place in physiological process of living organisms [1]. We show for the first time, that the LUM, LUSC, LUDC and LULCC form a single unit system to regulate the respiration function, with intrinsic governing centers at the brain stem After this detailed investigation, we can understand the reasons for choosing many acupoints of various Meridians by acupuncturists to treat respiratory disorders. The “two-direction” result indicates that signals from the diaphragm are sent to the supplementary cortex, which in turn sends back efferent signals to modify the diaphragm function This aspect has just been mentioned in [18], giving hints that TCM modalities might play the role of the sensory input from the diaphragm (in the wake state), if stimulating an acupoint can send signal to the somatosensory cortex; via a reflex action the function of the diaphragm can be regulated. What signals would trigger off the cortical commands to breath at the premotor and supplementary motor regions during the sleep state remains one main aim of future studies, such as application of acupressure/acupuncture during the sleep state while brain activity is monitored by electroencephalography (EEG) using dipole source analysis to locate the source of activity [29]
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