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August 2007 Newsletter

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The role of Acupuncture in the treatment of insomnia:

A comprehensive review.
30/07/2007 review of published Further methodologi-
literature. Among the cally strong, random-
Insomnia is a com- selected studies for ized controlled stud-
mon sleep disorder review many were ies with large sample
with devastating so- clinical case series size are needed to
cioeconomic conse- and few open or ran- assess the usefulness
domized clinical
quences.
though there
Even
are trails. Even though
of acupuncture in Inside this issue:
treatment of insom-
pharmacological and several of these stud- nia and explore the
behavioral treat- ies did not clarify the WELCOME 1
possible mechanisms
ments for insomnia, nature of insomnia
underlying the effects THE 1
most of the patients (primary vs. secon- ROLE OF ACU-
of acupuncture on PUNCTURE IN THE
are treated with dary), it seemed that
many of the subjects sleep and sleep disor- TREATMENT OF IN-
medications. How-
enrolled in these ders. SOMNIA
ever, the long-term
use of medications to studies had co- Country: U.S.A
treat insomnia is morbid other psychi- ACUPUNCTURE OF 2
ST36 ON SERUM
questioned and has atric (depression or Institute: Depart- GASTRIN AND COR-
potential side effects. anxiety disorders) ment of Psychiatry- TISOL CONTENTS IN
More and more and/or medical condi- H073, Penn State RATS WITH SPLEEN
Americans are seek- tions (Hemodialysis, University College of DEFICIENCY.
ing complementary/ Stroke, Pregnancy). Medicine, 500 Univer-
alternative treat- Except for few, sev- sity Drive, P.O. Box ACUPUNCTURE IN- 2
ments for many con- eral of these studies 850, Hershey, PA CREASES GLUCOSE
ditions including in- had methodological 17033, USA. METABOLISM IN
somnia and there are limitations. VASCULAR DEMEN-
anecdotal reports/ Author(s): Kalava- TIA
case series of use of Despite the limita- palli R, Singareddy R. EFFECT OF ELEC- 3
acupuncture in treat- tions of the reviewed TRO ACUPUNC-
ing insomnia. studies, all of them Journal: Comple- TURE ON MUS-
consistently indicate ment Ther Clin Pract. CLE STRENGTH
To examine critically significant improve- 2007 Aug;13(3):184-
the role of acupunc- ment in insomnia 93. ACUPUNCTURE 4
ture in treatment of with acupuncture. AND TCM
insomnia, we per- EVENTS FOR AU-
formed a systematic GUST
 August 2007 Newsletter
COMPARED WITH Effect of Acupuncture on ST36 on serum gastrin and cortisol
NORMAL contents in rats with spleen deficiency.
CONTROL GROUP,
SERUM GASTRIN 29/07/2007 pool). Blood samples group, and between
were collected after de- normal control group
AND CORTISOL
OBJECTIVE: To study capitation of rats for and acupuncture group
CONTENTS OF the underlying mecha- detecting contents of in serum gastrin and
MODEL AND nism of acupuncture of serum gastrin and corti- cortisol levels (P >
"Zusanli" (ST 36) in the sol with radioimmunoas- 0.05).
SALINE GROUPS
treatment of spleen de- say. Unilateral
DECREASED "Zusanli" (ST 36) was
ficiency syndrome. CONCLUSION: Acupunc-
SIGNIFICANTLY punctured and stimu- ture of "Zusanli" (ST
lated manually then the 36) can suppress alco-
METHODS: Twenty-six
needle was retained for hol and vinegar induced
adult Wistar rats were
20 min. The treatment decrease of serum gas-
randomly divided into
was given once daily trin and cortisol, which
normal control group (n
and continuously for 10 may contribute to its
= 6), model group (n =
days. effect in the treatment
8), saline group (n = 6)
and acupuncture group of spleen deficiency
(n = 6). Spleen defi- RESULTS: Compared syndrome in the rat.
ciency syndrome model with normal control
was duplicated by intra- group, serum gastrin Country: China
gastric perfusion of 50% and cortisol contents of
alcohol (on the 1st day, model and saline groups Institute: Institute of
1 mL/100 g) and white decreased significantly Acu-moxibustion, China
vinegar for 9 days (1 (P < 0.05), while com- Academy of Chinese
mL/100 g). Before de- pared with model group Medical Sciences, Bei-
capitation, the animals and saline group, both jing 100700, China.
in all the 4 groups were gastrin and cortisol lev-
forced to swim in a wa- els increased remarka-
Author(s): Wang X,
ter pool under tempera- bly in acupuncture
Teng JR, Lu B, Jin ZG.
ture of 18 degrees C till group (P < 0.05). No
exhaustion (sinking to significant differences
were found between Journal: Zhen Ci Yan
the bottom of the water
saline group and model Jiu. 2007 Apr;32(2):125
-7.

Acupuncture increases glucose metabolism in vascular dementia

Recent studies indicate puncture increased underpin acupunc-
beneficial effects of glucose metabolism in ture's role in stroke
acupuncture in the re- the temporal lobe of and VaD rehabilita-
habilitation of vascular unaffected and in the tion.
dementia (VaD). lentiform nucleus of
the affected hemi- Country: China
This study used 18- sphere. Additional nee-
flourodeoxyglucose dling in VaD-specific Institute: Department
PET measures to com- points rendered higher of Traditional Chinese
pare cerebral effects of metabolism bilaterally Medicine, Southern
conventional acupunc- in the frontal lobes and Medical University,
ture for hemiplegia the thalamus, and in Guangzhou, China.
with that of additional the temporal lobe and nanfangli-
VaD-specific needling. the lentiform nucleus huang@163.com
of the unaffected
As compared to base- hemisphere. Author(s): Huang Y,
line, conventional acu- Chen J, Htut WM, Lai
The findings further X, Wik G.
Page 2
August 2007 Newsletter
Effect of Electro-Acupuncture on muscle strength
4/07/2007 physically active, but 21.3%, left 15.2%)
without specific in the EG (p < 0.05)
Objectives: This strength training or and the increase was
study aimed to ex- previous experience significantly higher
amine the bilateral of acupuncture. than that of the CG
effect of 4 weeks of (p < 0.05). The CG
unilateral electroacu- Interventions: Par- showed no signifi-
puncture on leg ticipants in the EG cant change (right
muscle strength. were given 3 ses- 3.0%, left 4.8%),
sions of electroacu- post-treatment.
Design: The effect of puncture per week.
unilateral electroacu- In each session, the Conclusions: Unilat-
puncture at two se- electroacupuncture eral electroacupunc-
lected acupoints, was applied to the ture at the selected
Zusanli (ST-36) and right leg at the acu- acupoints improved
Xiajuxu (ST-39), points with 8 duty muscle strength of
which are located on cycles of 1 minute both limbs. These
the anterior tibialis on and 1 minute off, findings may have
muscle, on dorsiflex- pulse width of 1 mil- implications in physi-
ion strength was lisecond, frequency cal therapy and re- ELECTROACUPUNCT
evaluated by statisti- of 40 Hz, and inten-
habilitation settings. URE AT THE
cal analyses of the sity of 30-40 V. Par-
SELECTED
interactions between ticipants in the CG Institute: Depart-
ACUPOINTS
the muscle strength group kept their nor- ment of Health and
IMPROVED MUSCLE
pre and post 4 mal daily activities Exercise Science,
Tianjin University of STRENGTH OF
weeks of interven- without additional
Sport, Tianjin, BOTH LIMBS.
tion, between the intervention.
China. THESE FINDINGS
two legs, and be-
MAY HAVE
tween an experi- Outcome measures:
Author(s): Huang IMPLICATIONS IN
mental and a control The maximum
group. Settings/ strength in dorsiflex- LP, Zhou S, Lu Z, PHYSICAL THERAPY

location: The trial ion of each leg was Tian Q, Li X, Cao LJ, AND

was carried out in examined by having Yu JH, Wang H. REHABILITATION

the exercise rehabili- participants lift SETTINGS.

tation laboratory at weights in the range Journal: J Altern

Tianjin University of of motion of approxi- Complement Med.
Sport. Subjects: mately 20 degrees at 2007 Jun;13(5):539-
Thirty (30) healthy the ankle joint. 46.
men with an average
age of 20.9 +/- 2.98 Results: Repeated-
(SD) years were ran- measures analysis of
domly allocated into variance with Bon-
an electroacupunc- ferroni adjustment
ture group (EG) and detected significant
a control group increase in strength
(CG). They were of both legs (right

Page 3
 August 2007 Newsletter
Acupuncture and TCM events for August 2007
Leichhardt - Acupuncture for surgical scars
When: 7.00pm - 9.00pm, Where: LG, 92-94 Norton Street
Contact: Garry Tam on (02) 9550 9906 or garry@sitcm.edu.au

New Zealand - Chi Nei Tsang Fundamentals Retreat

When: 7.30am - 9pm, Where: Kimi Ora Spa Resort Kaiteriteri
Contact: Kim Knight on +649 833 6553
This is a multi-day event ending on the 21/08

Adelaide - The Enteric System: Part 1

When: All - Day
Contact: Emily Lewis on 1300 133 807 or emily@chmrd.com

For detailed information on any of these events or if you would like to add your
own event to our calendar for free, visit us online at the following address.

www.acupuncture.com.au/events

www.acupuncture.com.au
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