The American Journal of Chinese Medicine

Humours have been interpreted as biochemical processes: Hot = Oxidation, Cold = Reduction, Moist = Hydration, Dry = Dehydration. Germs have to be studied according to their enzymic make up with one, say Oxidases, as the most prominent. Likewise drugs must be classed as hindering or promoting the four detoxicating processes, mentioned above.

A study tour in China provided information on the current status of schistosomiasis. Although many counties have been cleared of Oncomelania snails, problem areas still exist in the lakes region of the central Yangtze Valley, in hilly or mountainous terrain, and where water level cannot be controlled. In the central Yangtze area the main reservoir of infection is now considered to be cattle. It was estimated that the prevalence of schistosomiasis in 1983 was about 2.4 million cases, mostly light. Considerable effort is being made to develop immunodiagnostic methods to identify the relatively few and often subclinical cases that occur in sparsely endemic areas. Nationwide eradication does not seem feasible at present, necessitating continued surveillance to maintain and consolidate progress and prevent reintroduction of the parasite or its host snails in areas freed from the disease.

Cardiovascular actions of S. miltiorrhiza (SM) were studied on systemic blood pressure in the rat. Langendorff cardiac preparation in the guinea pig, and four types of vasculature in the dog including coronary, renal, femoral, and mesenteric arteries. SM induced dose-related hypotension without changing heart rate. The hypotension was antagonized by atropine, propranolol, and chlorpheniramine plus cimetidine. In the isolated whole-heart preparation, SM increased coronary blood flow significantly for 15 min and positive inotropic action for 3 min after pulse injection. SM relaxed all arteries at low concentration (3.0 mg/ml) and contracted all but the coronary artery at higher concentration (10.0 mg/ml). The coronary artery relaxed at all doses of SM tested.

The effects of Korean herbal medicine (B.C.L.) on some parametrs of immunological response were studied in mice, B.C.L. pretreatment given either intraperitoneally subcutaneously in a dose of 0.75 mg/mouse did not significantly inhibit lymphocyte transformation induced by concanavalin A. However, B.C.L. pretreatment in a dose of 2.25 mg/mouse was found to reduce significantly both the plaque-forming cells to sheep red blood cells immunisation as well as total splee cell population.

Thus, B.C.L. pretreatment with a higher does (2.25 mg/mouse) can selectively depress the humoral immune response. It is unclear, however, whether this action is mediated by the parent compound or its metabolities.

28 men with oligozoospermia and 7 with azoospermia received 7.5 g of Hachimijiogan, daily for 8 to 28 weeks. Examinations of semen in oligozoospermic men after treatment revealed a remarkable increase in number (78%) and moderate increase in sperm motility (53%) and in volume (56%), and fertility index was also remarkably improved, whereas no improvement was found in azoospermic men.

Furthermore, serum estradiol-17β level was significantly increased (P<0.005) after treatment, while LH, FSH, prolactin and testosterone levels in sera showed no significant change. These results suggest that Hachimijiogan increases serum estradiol-17 β levels and improves spermatogenesis in oligozoospermic men.

Experimental studies on the effects of acupuncture, combined Chinese herbs, and opioid peptides on morphine withdrawal symptoms were carried out in 119 addicted rats. Electroacupuncture was found to be the most effective method as it reduced the morphine withdrawal scores to -85%. The combined herbs, Qiang Huo, Gou Teng, Chuan Xion, Fu Zi and Yan Hu Suo suppressed the withdrawal scores of – 68%. The opioid peptides, endorphin, enkephalin, and dynorphin, produced marked sedative effect and alleviated the withdrawal symptoms, reducing the scores from -28% to -74%. It is suggested that acupuncture and herbs, being non-opiate and having less side effect, might be used as alternative supplementary treatment on morphine addiction.

In this paper, the long-term effects of the ancient Chinese formula of San-Huang-Hsieh-Hsin-Tang on patients with essential hypertension were reported. San-Huang-Hsieh-Hsin-Tang could significantly improve the hyperkinetic states of the cardiovascular system, improve the accompanying sympathetic symptoms, lower serum norepinephrine and have no apparent side effects.

In order to elucidate the active mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine, we investigated the effects of Hachimijogan which has been alleged to restore the function of old degenerate organs. After administering Hachimijiogan to aged rats and mice, we examined the lipid and glutathione metabolism. The cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the mice liver were significantly decreased in the Hachimijiogan treated group. The cholesterol turnover was examined using labeled cholesterol in aged mice, and Hachimijiogan may increase the turnover of cholesterol metabolism. The lenticular glutathione levels and enzyme activities concerned with glutathione metabolism were investigated in aged reats given Hachimijiogan, suggesting that Hachimijiogan may offer protective and therapeutic effects against senile cataract. From our study, Hachimijiogan is considered to improve the lipid and glutathione metabolism as a result of its complicated in vivo compound effects.

The effect of electroacupuncture stimulation applied to a unilateral Ho-ku point on the human tooth pain thresholds was studied by electrically stimulating bilateral canines. In six of ten subjects tested, the tooth pain threshold was elevated ipsilaterally but was unchanged contralaterally during and after the electroacupuncture. In the remaining four, neither the ipsilateral nor the contralateral canine showed any change in the pain threshold by the electroacupuncture. The ipsilateral increase of the tooth pain threshold may be explained by the a mechanism by which electroacupuncture stimulation of one Ho-ku point causes various pain suppression centers to release ipsilaterally endogenous opioids.

The effects of stimulation of acupuncture loci from Tien-Shu (St-25) piercing through Chung-Wan (CV-12) on the Leukocytes and immune response were assessed in mice (that is, the anatomical equivalent of these loci of human acupuncture points). The leukocyte count increased and reached its highest level two hours after needling, then restored to normal level 24 hours later both in normal mice and immunized mice. Statistical analysis showed no significant variation on the lymphocyte/total leukocyte ratio in normal mice or immunized mice before, during and after needling. The effects of acupuncture on the production of anti-Vibrio cholerae in serumof the immunizedmice can not be found, but produced positive effects in small intestine both on production of SIgA and antagonism to cholera. Furthermore these enhanced effects were higher by needling after oral (p.o.) boosting than before oral boosting.

From November 1965 to December 1978, about 10,635 cranio-cerebral operations were performed under acupuncture anesthesia in 24 neurosurgical departments in China. The extensive clinical practices have proved that acupuncture surely has analgesic effect. So far most researches upon the mechanism for analgesia by acupuncture were based on animal experiments, but not confirmed or evidenced in human beings. For this reason, a series of clinical studies upon the neurophysiological and biochemical basis for acupuncture analgesia has been made utilizing the facilities of neurologic clinic provided that the patient's condition is not adversely affected and therapeutic efficiency is enhanced. The results are summarized as follows.

Upper back pains lasting ten years were promptly improved in a 63 year old woman following the rejection of a forgotten foreign glass body, through a scar located over the left scapula, and treated by acupuncture. The patient insisted on having this treatment after unsuccessful prolonged and multi-disciplinary formal medical interventions culminating in preparations for exploratory surgery. The acupuncture directed to the scar induced an inflammatory reaction characterized by a sterile granulomatous reaction which surrounded a large piece of glass, apparently implanted in the soft tissue of the suprascapular area during a severe road accident which occurred ten years previously. The surgical intervention was avoided.