Acupoint Selection Research Articles

The rules of acupoint selection of acupuncture and moxibustion for scrofula in ancient times

Based on data mining technology, the rules of acupoint selection of acupuncture-moxibustion for scrofula in ancient times were analyzed. The relevant articles of acupuncture and moxibustion for scrofula were searched in the Chinese Medical Code, and the original article, acupoint name, acupoint characteristic, and acupoint meridian tropism, etc. were screened and extracted. The Microsoft Excel 2019 was used to establish a acupoint prescription database, and the frequency of acupoints as well as their meridian tropism and characteristics were analyzed. The SPSS21.0 was applied to perform cluster analysis of acupuncture prescriptions; the SPSS Modeler 18.0 was used to perform the association rules analysis of the neck and the chest-armpit acupoints, respectively. As a result, 314 acupuncture prescriptions were extracted, including 236 single-acupoint prescriptions and 78 multiple-acupoints prescriptions (53 for neck and 25 for chest-armpit). A total of 54 acupoints were involved, with a total frequency of 530. The top 3 commonly-used acupoints were Tianjing (TE 10), Zulinqi (GB 41) and Taichong (LR 3); the most commonly-used meridians were hand shaoyang meridian, foot shaoyang meridian, hand yangming meridian and foot yangming meridian; the most commonly-used special acupoints were he-sea points and shu-stream points. The cluster analysis obtained 6 clusters, and the association rule analysis obtained that the core prescriptions of the neck were Quchi (LI 11), Jianyu (LI 15), Tianjing (TE 10) and Jianjing (GB 21), while the core prescriptions of the chest-armpit were Daling (PC 7), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Danzhong (CV 17), Jianjing (GB 21), Waiguan (TE 5), Zhigou (TE 6), Yuanye (GB 22) and Zhangmen (LR 13). The core prescriptions obtained from association rule analysis by difference areas were basically consistent with those by cluster analysis of total prescriptions.

Analysis of acupoints selection rules and efficacy evaluation of acupuncture and moxibustion for allergic rhinitis

To explore the rules of acupoints selection of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR) by using data mining technology, as well as to compare the efficacy of different acupoints selection methods. Papers about acupuncture and moxibustion for treating AR published from January 2002 to August 2022 was retrieved from Chinese and English databases including CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed and PubMed by using keywords of "acupuncture", "moxibustion" and "allergic rhinitis". According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the collected literature was screened to establish the AR database. Frequency statistic analysis was conducted for detecting high-frequency acupoints and specific acupoints frequency, and the curative effects of different acupoints selection methods were compared. SPSS26.0 software was used for factor analysis, cluster analysis and QUEST decision tree model identification. A total of 289 papers were included, with 384 acupuncture prescriptions extracted. A total of 99 acupoints were involved with the application frequency of 2 430 times. Among them, the application frequency of Yingxiang (LI20) is the highest (296 times, 12.18%), followed by Yintang (GV24+) and Hegu (LI4), etc. The main invloved meridians are the Bladder Meridian of Foot-Taiyang, the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand-Yangming and the Governor Vessel. The involved specific acupoints with the highest frequency of application is the crossing acupoints. Nine common factors of acupoints combinations units were extracted by factor analysis, and two cluster prescriptions of acupoints combinations correlation were obtained by cluster analysis. Three decision paths of simplified acupoints selection were simulated by the decision tree, with LI20 as the dependent variable. In the treatment of AR with acupuncture and moxibustion, the regularities and characteristics of acupoints selection are as follows: 1) often selecting local acupoints and acupoint combinations along meridians, 2) focusing on combination of dispelling pathogenic factors with strengthening vital energy, 3) advocating diversification of acupoint matching methods. The combination of factor analysis, cluster analysis and QUEST decision tree application provides three directions for clinical acupoints selection of AR.

Dose-effect relationship and precise treatment of acupuncture：viewing from translational medicine

The acupuncture treatment scheme contains several key elements including acupoint selection and prescription, duration of needle retention, treatment frequency, needling manipulation technique, etc. which have, in precision degree, an important influence on the clinical efficacy, and their precise determination needs the guidance of the dose-effect relationship of acupuncture stimulation. In the present article, we discuss the basic concept and content of the dose-effect relationship of acupuncture and analyze its relationship with the precise treatment scheme. The precision and standardization of clinical treatment scheme of acupuncture are definitely not the negation of rich clinical experience, but rather, they are the transcendence of rich clinical experience. The dose-effect relationship of acupuncture is the rule that the acupuncture effect changes with the quantitative change of each key element, and its main contents include: the dose-effect relationship of acupoint prescription, the dose-effect relationship of needling manipulation, and the time-effect relationship of acupuncture.

Clinical research progress of acupuncture in the treatment of constipation after stroke

Purpose: Constipation is one of the most common complications of stroke. Acupuncture has a good clinical effect.By searching Chinese databases such as CNKI, Weipu and Wanfang, the search terms were "acupuncture", "stroke", "constipation" and "defecation disorders", and summarized the clinical research progress of acupuncture in the treatment of constipation after stroke from four aspects: proximal point selection, distant acupoint selection, dialectical acupoint selection and symptomatic point selection, and provided some new ideas for the clinical treatment of constipation after stroke.

Retracted: Clinical Acupoint Selection for the Treatment of Functional Constipation by Massage and Acupuncture Based on Smart Medical Big Data Analysis.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2021/9930412.].

Analysis of Acupoint Selection Rules of Acupuncture Treatment for Tension Headache Based on Data Mining

Analysis of Acupoint Selection Rules of Acupuncture Treatment for Tension Headache Based on Data Mining

Characteristics of Acupoint Selection and Therapeutic Effect Analysis of Acupuncture Treatment for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

The therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment on chronic kidney disease (CKD) was assessed, and the characteristics of acupoint selection in different CKD types were summarised. A total of 100 patients with CKD were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study, of whom 50 received acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks (acupuncture group) and 50 received routine treatment for 12 weeks (control group). Routine treatment included appropriate rest, low-salt and low-protein diet and correction of the disturbance in water, electrolyte and acid-base balance. Hypertensive patients received antihypertensive treatment, and patients with hyperuricaemia received uric acid lowering treatment. Acupuncture acupoints were selected in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. Baseline characteristics, therapeutic effects and adverse events were assessed, and kidney function indexes, urine albumin creatine ratios (UACRs) and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) were compared at different time points (before acupuncture treatment, T1; Immediately after acupuncture treatment, T2; After 3 months of follow-up, T3). The baseline data were slightly different between the groups (p > 0.05), specifically gender, age, duration time, TCM syndrome, CKD stage, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The acupuncture group presented better therapeutic effects than the control group (82.00% vs. 60.00%, p = 0.015). At T2 or T3, the value of UACR in both groups obviously decreased (p < 0.05), whereas the eGFRs markedly increased (p < 0.05). In addition, at T2 or T3, the UACRs were significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the control group (p < 0.01), whereas an opposite result was obtained for eGFR (p < 0.05). The adverse event rate barely differed between the groups (8.00% vs. 6.00%, p = 0.695). Acupuncture treatment can effectively treat CKD and can improve kidney function. This study provides a theoretical basis for clinical application.

Identifying Key Node with Motif‐Based PageRank on Acupoint‐Disease Network

Existing research combines acupuncture theory with network science and proposes a new paradigm for the study of acupoint selection patterns—a key acupoint mining algorithm based on acupoint networks. However, the basic idea of this study for finding key acupoints is based on binary acupoint synergy relationships, which ignores the higher‐order synergy among multiple acupoints and does not truly reflect the implicit patterns of each acupoint among meridian systems. Moreover, the mining results assessment method, which this new paradigm involves, does not have wide applicability and universality. In this paper, with the introduction of higher‐order interactions between multiple acupoints, a high‐specificity key acupoint mining algorithm based on 3‐node motif is proposed in the acupoint‐disease network (ADN). In response to the narrow applicability of the new research paradigm involving the evaluation of algorithms’ measures, new and widely applicable and universal evaluation criteria are introduced in terms of resolution, network loss, and accuracy, respectively. Based on the principles of acupoint selection involved in acupuncture clinics in Chinese medicine, the acupoints involved in the data were divided into a total of 19 regions according to their distribution characteristics. From these 19 regions, we selected the key acupoints that have a large impact on the global network. Finally, we compared this algorithm with five other acupoint importance assessment algorithms in terms of resolution, network loss, and accuracy, respectively. The comprehensive results show that the algorithm identifies key acupoints with an accuracy of 63%, which is 14% to 21% higher than other existing methods. The key acupoints identified by the algorithm have a significant disruptive effect on the connectivity of the network, indicating that the key acupoints are at the core of the acupoint‐disease network topology. They have a significant propagation influence on other acupoints, which means that the key acupoints have high‐synergistic cooperation with other acupoints. Meanwhile, the stability and specificity of the algorithm ensure the reliability of the key acupoints. We believe that the key acupoints identified by the algorithm can be used as core acupoints from the perspective of network topology and high synergy of other acupoints, respectively, and help researchers explore targeted and high‐impact combinations of acupoints to optimize existing acupuncture prescriptions under condition constraints.

Data Mining-based Analysis of Acupoint Selection Patterns for Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Data Mining-based Analysis of Acupoint Selection Patterns for Chronic Hepatitis B Infection

Acupuncture and Acupoints for Low Back Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Acupuncture has been used as a therapeutic intervention for the treatment of numerous diseases and symptoms for thousands of years, and low back pain has been studied and treated the most in acupuncture clinics. Traditional theory strongly suggests that the selection of acupoints will influence their clinical effects and combinations (e.g., the clinical effects of a particular acupoint or combination on reducing pain), but this idea was not considered in earlier systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We performed a systematic review, meta-analysis, and network analysis to evaluate the magnitude of the effects of acupoints used to treat low back pain in randomized controlled clinical trials. We found that acupuncture significantly reduced pain in patients with low back pain compared with the control group. The most frequently prescribed acupoints were BL23, GV3, BL20, BL40, and BL25, whereas the acupoints with the highest average effect size scores were BL20, GV3, GB30, GB34, and BL25. Further, the combinations of BL23-BL40, BL23-B25, and BL23-BL60 were the most frequently prescribed, while BL23-GV3, BL40-GV4, and BL23-BL25 showed the largest average effect size. By calculating clinical outcomes based on average effect sizes, we found that the most popular acupoints might not always be associated with the best results. Although a more thorough investigation is necessary to determine the clinical effects of each acupoint and combination on patients, we suggest that our approach may offer a fresh perspective that will be useful for future research.

Network-Based Elaboration of the Efficacy of the Dachangshu (BL25) and Tianshu (ST25) Points in the Treatment of Functional Constipation in Children through Inflammation, Adipocytokine, or Leptin Pathways.

Constipation commonly occurs during childhood, and more than 95% of cases are classified as functional constipation. If not effectively treated, 20% of patients with childhood constipation can continue to exhibit symptoms into adulthood, which seriously affects their mental health and quality of life. The main feature of acupuncture or acupoint stimulation, a special branch of traditional Chinese medicine, is the selection of different acupoints for different diseases, and many worthy guidelines have been established for matching acupoints. The back-shu and front-mu point combination adheres to an important acupoint compatibility law that has been used since its proposal 2,500 years ago but has not yet been verified by the modern evidence-based experiments. This study focused on the back-shu and front-mu point combination using the Dachangshu (BL25) and Tianshu (ST25) points as examples to explore possible research methods for network acupoint-based stimulation based on existing evidence and to elucidate the mechanisms induced by BL25 and ST25 in the treatment of functional constipation in children (FCC). The study found that BL25 and ST25 have 20 common targets, namely, AQP8, DRD2, VIP, TAC1, IL6R, TNF, FOS, KIT, CHAT, HTR3A, GAS8, SOD3, TRPV1, MPO, CALCA, IL1B, P2RX7, NPY2R, IL10RA, and TPH1, and these targets may provide a strategy for the combined usage of BL25 and ST25. In addition, BL25 and ST25 can affect FCC treatment through inflammation-relatedTh17-cell differentiation, the NF-kappa B signaling pathway, and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Adipocytokines or leptin may also comprise the mechanism through which BL25 and ST25 regulate FCC. In addition, BL25 and ST25 regulate FCC through 13 core targets, namely, NFKBIA, RELA, TNF, IKBKB, IRAK1, TLR4, MYD88, TNFRSF1A, IL1R1, TLR2, IL1B, TRAF6, and TNFRSF1B. In short, this study provides new ideas and methods for studying the mechanism of acupuncture points.

The treatment of post-stroke dysarthria with a combination of different acupuncture types and language rehabilitation training: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

This study used a network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of various different acupuncture types and language rehabilitation training on post-stroke dysarthria (PSD), and examined the possible mechanisms involved. There are often clinical studies comparing the effects of different acupuncture methods on dysarthria after stroke. The efficacy of these methods can be ranked by network meta-analysis. This is necessary for clinical acupoints selection. The results of this study illustrated the comparison of the therapeutic effects of 6 different acupuncture types, which can provide some reference for clinical acupoints selection and research. A comprehensive search for clinical studies related to the use of acupuncture to treat PSD was conducted in eight English and Chinese databases. Patients were divided into six groups based on the acupoints selected, namely, tongue, neck, scalp, body, combination, and traditional acupuncture. The recovery of neurological function in the patients was assessed based on the curative impact and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool and the STandards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) criteria. A network meta-analysis was performed using the network-meta package of Stata 15.1 software based on frequency. The heterogeneity test, consistency test, head-to-head mixed comparison, efficacy ranking, and publication bias study were all performed. A total of 47 studies were finally included. There was a total of 4,197 patients in the eligible studies. The model for network meta-analysis proved robust, with minimal heterogeneity and high consistency. Combined acupuncture combined with language rehabilitation training was the most effective in treating dysarthria symptoms, followed by tongue acupuncture (TA) and nape acupuncture (NA). In addition, the combined effect of acupuncture and language training was superior to that of acupuncture alone. In terms of recovery of nerve function, traditional acupuncture and body acupuncture were more effective. To facilitate the recovery of nerve function, increasing the frequency of acupoints is necessary. Combined acupuncture may have the most beneficial healing effect on PSD, followed by acupuncture of the tongue and the nape of the neck. In terms of recovery of nerve function, traditional acupuncture and body acupuncture may have more effective.

How to conduct an acupuncture dose–effect relationship study? A discussion based on study methodology

Acupuncture therapy is widely used in the clinic, and its therapeutic effects have been proven by numerous studies. The dose–effect relationship of acupuncture is a fundamental aspect of the acupuncture research system. Recent studies found that different acupuncture dosages altered study results directly, indicating the importance of screening the optimal stimulation dosage. However, the system for studying the acupuncture dose–effect relationship is still in its infancy, and the methodology of the system needs to be improved. This review aimed to define the factors impacting acupuncture “dosage” and “effect,” and to improve the methodological system for research on the dose–effect relationship of acupuncture. By summarizing the current findings of acupuncture dose–effect studies, we discussed the vital acupuncture parameters and methodological problems that influence the relationship between acupuncture dosage and its effects. These factors consist of specific influencing factors (acupoint selection, acupuncture manipulation parameters, de qi response) and nonspecific influencing factors (comparison selection, blinding procedure, patient expectancy). Our perspectives offer suggestions for the design of acupuncture dosage–effect trials. Further studies need to be conducted to establish the methodological system and provide systematic evidence of the acupuncture dose–effect relationship. Graphical abstract: http://links.lww.com/AHM/A37

Acupuncture mitigates ocular surface inflammatory response via α7nAChR/NF-κB p65 signaling in dry eye guinea pigs

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the ocular surface inflammation and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) / nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 signal pathway in guinea pigs with dry eye, so as to explore its underlying mechanism. A total of 32 male British tricolor short haired guinea pigs were randomized into blank control, model, EA and sham acupuncture groups, with 8 guinea pigs in each group. The dry eye model was established by subcutaneous injection of scopolamine hydrobromide solution (0.6 mg/0.2 mL each time, 4 times a day for 10 days). Guinea pigs of the EA group was treated with EA at bilateral "Cuanzhu" (BL2) and "Taiyang" (HN5), and manual acupuncture at bilateral "Jingming" (BL1), "Sizhukong" (SJ23), "Tongziliao" (GB1) for 15 min, once daily for 14 days. For animals of the sham acupuncture group, a blunt needle was used to prick the skin surface of the acupoints, the acupoint selection and stimulation time were the same as those in the EA group. Before and after modeling and after the intervention, the breakup time (BUT) of lacrimal film, sodium fluorescein coloring (Fl) state of corneal epithelium and phenol red thread (PRT) moist length were recorded for assessing the severity of dry eye. The density of activated immune cells around the corneal epithelial stromal cells was determined by corneal confocal microscopy. The contents of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the cornea and lacri-mal gland tissues were determined by ELISA, and the expression levels of α7nAChR and NF-κB p65 in the cornea and lacrimal gland were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, separately. Compared with the blank control group, the corneal Fl, density of activated immune cells of corneal epithelium, contents of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α in both corneal and lacrimal gland tissues, NF-κB p65 cell positive rate and protein expression of lacrimal gland and corneal tissues were significantly increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), while the BUT, PRT and lacrimal gland α7nAChR cell positive rate considerably decreased (P<0.01) in the model group. In comparison with the model group, the level of corneal Fl, density of the activated immune cells of corneal epithelium, contents of corneal and lacrimal IL-6 and TNF-α, and corneal and lacrimal NF-κB p65 cell positive rates and protein expressions were remarkably down-regulated in the EA group (P<0.01, P<0.05), rather than in the sham acupuncture group (P>0.05) except content of corneal IL-10, lacrimal NF-κB p65 cell positive rate and lacrimal α7nAChR protein expression, whereas the levels of BUT, PRT, corneal and lacrimal IL-10 and corneal and lacrimal α7nAChR cell positive rates and protein expressions significantly up-regulated in the EA group (P<0.01, P<0.05), rather than in the sham acupuncture group (P>0.05) except corneal TNF-α and corneal NF-κB p65 protein expression. EA can improve corneal and lacrimal function in dry eye guinea pigs, which may be associated with its actions in increasing the expression of α7nAChR, inhibiting the nuclear translocation of NF-κB, and reducing the activated immune cells and inflammatory reaction.

Visual analysis of the acupoint prescription characteristics of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Using the complex network technology, the characteristics of the core acupoint prescriptions and the application of acupuncture-moxibustion techniques were analyzed in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) so as to provide the evidences for acupoint selection and therapeutic methods for RA treated with acupuncture and moxibustion. The articles of acupuncture and moxibustion for treatment of RA in recent 20 years were collated and imported, and the database of the acupoint prescriptions was developed. Using Cytoscape 3.9.2 software, the acupoints in the prescriptions were visualized for the common occurrence network analysis. The association rule analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 software and the complex network analysis was by Gephi 0.9.2 software. A total of 798 articles were screened, in which, 3 258 prescriptions were extracted with 253 acupoints involved. The analysis of acupoint selection was conducted in terms of syndrome/pattern differentiation, acupoint locations and main acupoints, and therapeutic methods. The results showed that the most common TCM syndromes of RA included painful bi syndrome, wandering bi syndrome, fixed bi syndrome and bi syndrome due to wind, damp and heat. Regarding the core combination of acupoints, painful bi syndrome: Guanyuan (CV 4) and Shenshu (BL 23); fixed bi syndrome: Yinlingquan (SP 9), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Pishu (BL 20) and Fenglong (ST 40); wandering bi syndrome: Fengchi (GB 20), Geshu (BL 17), Fengmen (BL 12), Xuehai (SP 10) and Waiguan (TE 5); bi syndrome due to wind, damp and heat: Dazhui (GV 14), Quchi (LI 11) and Hegu (LI 4). Regarding the acupoint locations, the acupoints located in the upper limbs, lower limbs and spinal region were generally selected. Quchi (LI 11) was one of the main acupoints in prescriptions with the highest use frequency. Zusanli (ST 36) and Shenshu (BL 23) presented the highest co-occurrence intensity, while Zusanli (ST 36) and Quchi (LI 11) indicated the highest correlation. The treatment of acupuncture-moxibustion for RA is generally complied with the principle as "the synthesis of main acupoints, supplementary acupoints in local affected area and those based on syndrome differentiation". Warm needling and the combination of acupuncture and herbal medication are the most common therapeutic methods for RA.

The efficacy of acupuncture with Lingguibafa acupoint selection in the treatment of insomnia: A PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis.

As a major public health problem, insomnia has garnered much attention. Acupuncture, with dialectical acupoint selection (DAS), has been proved to be effective for insomnia, but there is no evidence of evidence-based medicine to prove the efficacy of Lingguibafa acupoint selection (LAS) for insomnia. This study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture with LAS in patient with insomnia. The PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Weipu Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, Chinese Biomedical Database, and Wanfang Database were systematically searched from the inception dates to December 18, 2021. Randomized controlled trials of acupuncture with LAS versus acupuncture with DAS or acupuncture with LAS plus DAS versus acupuncture with DAS in patient with insomnia were included. Two review authors independently performed the data extraction and assessed study quality. A meta-analysis was performed using random-effects models to calculate relative risk and weighted mean difference for categorical and continuous variables, respectively. The primary efficacy outcome was improvement on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Secondary outcomes included insomnia severity index, Epworth sleepiness scale, Hamilton anxiety scale, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and total effective rate. A total of 7 trials with 468 patients fulfilled the selection criteria. The pooled results indicated that acupuncture with LAS plus DAS could reduce PSQI score by 2.08 (1.60 after excluding heterogeneity) compared to acupuncture with DAS. Acupuncture with LAS plus DAS had high reliability in sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep time and daytime function, but showed no significant effect on sleep disorder and hypnotic drug. For total effective rate, acupuncture with LAS plus DAS or acupuncture with LAS was better than acupuncture with DAS, but the conclusion was less credible. Acupuncture with LAS is significantly associated with improvements in several sleep parameters, primarily evident on the PSQI score. Nevertheless, considering the poor methodological quality, trials employing appropriate randomization concealment and blinding based on a larger sample size are needed in the future.

Efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for simple obesity in adults: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion therapy compared to non-acupuncture therapy in the treatment of simple obesity in adult. Randomized clinical trials concerning acupuncture and moxibustion therapy as a treatment of simple adult obesity were searched in the following Chinese and English databases: Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, WanFang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline and Cochrane Library. Two researchers independently screened suitable literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of included studies using the Jadad score scale. After that, data analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 software, Stata 17.0 software and SPSS 25.0 software. A total of 14 studies involving 1116 adults with simple obesity were included in the meta-analysis. Results revealed that BMI, body weight, waist circumference, total effective rate, triglyceride in the acupuncture group were superior to those in the non-acupuncture group, while there was no statistical difference in improving low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein and total cholesterol. As to the selection of acupoints, the acupoints of the stomach meridian of Foot Yangming have the highest frequency of use, with a frequency of 30 times, accounting for 35%. The acupoints can be divided into three clusters: the first category: RN9-SP9-SP6-RN4; the second category: ST40-RN6-SP15-ST36; the third category: ST25-RN12. Acupuncture and moxibustion is effective in treating adult simple obesity; however, due to the low score of the included studies, we still expect the results of higher-quality literature to provide a higher-level evidence-based basis for clinical decision-making. Furthermore, for the treatment of adult simple obesity, acupoints analysis revealed that Tianshu (ST25), Zhongwan (RN12), Zusanli (ST36), Fenglong (ST40) and Qihai (RN6) can form the basis for the treatment of simple obesity in adult.

Potential mechanisms of acupuncture in enhancing cerebral perfusion of ischemic stroke.

Ischemic stroke is the predominant cause of long-term disability and death worldwide. It is attributable to the sudden interruption of regional cerebral blood flow, resulting in brain cell death and neurological impairment. Acupuncture is a widely used adjuvant treatment for ischemic stroke in China and shows promising efficacy in clinical practice. This review mainly focused on the evidence to illustrate several possible mechanisms of acupuncture therapy on cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke. Studies have shown that acupuncture is probably effective in the enhancement of cerebral perfusion after ischemic stroke. It promotes the improvement of hemodynamics, the release of vasoactive substances, the formation of new blood vessels, as well as the restitution of microcirculation. Multiple factors may contribute to the variability in acupuncture's therapeutic effects, including the acupoint selection, stimulation frequency and intensity, and retaining needle time. Acupuncture has the potential to become a non-pharmacological adjuvant approach to enhance cerebral perfusion in ischemic stroke. Future studies are required to gain our insight into acupuncture as well as accelerate its clinical translation.

Analysis on clinical application characteristics of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of Meniere's disease based on topology model by complex network

To analyze the application characteristics of acupuncture and moxibustion in clinical treatment of Meniere's disease by using complex network technology, so as to provide evidence for selecting acupoints, needling and moxibustion methods and treatment ideas. Articles both in English and Chinese published from the inception of databases of CNKI, Wanfang VIP, Chinese biomedical literature database (SinoMed), PubMed, Embase, EBSCO (Academic Search Pre-mier), Web of Science and Ovid to April of 2021 were retrieved by using key words "acupuncture" or "moxibustion" or "acupuncture and moxibustion" and "Meniere disease" or "Meniere's syndrome" or "Ménières vertigo" or "otogenic vertigo" or "auditory vertigo", followed by screening the literature according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and establishing a database of clinical li-terature about acupuncture treatment of Meniere's Disease with software Epidata 3.1. Then, the descriptive analysis was conducted first, followed by association rule analysis using SPSS Modeler 18.0, and complex network analysis using Gephi 0.9.2 software. A total of 232 articles were included, containing 152 acupoints [97 body acupoints as Baihui (GV20), Fengchi (GB20), Neiguan (PC6), etc., 28 otopoints as Ershenmen (MA-TF1), Shen (MA-SC), etc., 20 scalp points as Yunting Area, 7 extra-points as Sishencong (EX-HN1), Taiyang (EX-HN5), etc.] which were used to be a total frequency of 1 569. Descriptive analysis showed that the main meridians were the Governor Vessel, Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming, Trienergizer Meridian of Hand Shaoyang, and Gallbladder Meridian of Foot Shaoyang. Acupuncture was the most commonly used therapy for Meniere's disease. The association analysis showed that the most relevant combination of acupoints was GV20 and GB20, GV20 and PC6, reflecting the principles of local acupoint selection and combination of local and distant acupoints. Finally, "K-core Analytic Hierarchy Process" and "Community Analysis" revealed that 3 core acupoint groups were most frequently used in clinical treatment of Meniere's disease, including 1) auricular acupoints, as MA-TF1, MA-SC, Neier(MA-L), Zhen(MA-AT) and Pizhixia(MA-AT1), 2) acupoints of the 14 meridians and extra-points, as Tinggong(SI19), Yifeng(TE17), GB20, 3) acupoints of the Shaoyang meri-dians of hand and foot, as Shuaigu (GB8), Tinghui (GB2), Zhongzhu (TE3), Ermen (TE21), etc. The principle of acupoint selection is mainly based on the combination of acupoints along the meridians and local areas, while paying attention to the coordination among the auricular points, scalp acupoints and extra-points, which may provide a reference for the clinical treatment and scientific research on acupuncture treatment of Meniere's disease.

Setting and optimization of control group in acupuncture animal experiment based on research elements

Acupuncture animal experiment is the main form of acupuncture mechanism research, in which, the setting of control group is crucial to the scientificity and reliability of research conclusion, and the research elements are the fundamental. Focusing on the research elements involved in acupuncture animal experiment, this study summarized the current situation and characteristics of the control groups related to acupoint selection, intervention and pathological mechanism in acupuncture animal experiment, and put forward the questions and suggestions so that the references of setting control group can be provided for acupuncture animal experiment in future.