在以前的工作中

我们曾发现头痛患者在针刺或经络治疗后

血浆多巴胺-β-羟化酶(DβH)活性受到相对抑制者

其疗效好。由于DβH是去甲肾上腺素合成过程中的最后一个合成酶

当交感神经受到刺激后

它与去甲肾上腺素呈比例由交感神经末梢释出

因而提出针刺治疗头痛的疗效可能与交感神经系统的调整有关。而针刺释镇痛是否也有外周胆碱能神经介质参与

这方面的工作少

且结果不一。众所周知

乙酰胆碱(ACh)是在胆碱酯酶的作用下

水解成胆碱和乙酸而失活;因之

测定外周血中

尤其是红血球的乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE

真性或特异性胆碱酯酶)

在一定程度上可用以作为反映外周胆碱能神经介质活动的指标。而有关针刺治疗头痛

对红血球AChEIt has been shown in acupuncture practice that it is more effective in patients with moderate inhibition of sympathetic nervous activities after acupuncture. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the role of periph- eral cholinergic nervous system in the process of electroacupuncture. The cholinesterase activity (ACHE) in erythrocytes was measured before and after electroacupuncture in patients with headache by the methods of El- lsman and Lewis with some modifications. Recorded at the same time was the microcirculation of finger nailfolds. In 53 cases treated with electroacupuncture

the effectiveness in 45 was favorable and 8 unfavorable. The AChE activity decreased after elec- troacupuncture in most favorable cases (75%)

but increased in most of unfavorable cases (62%). The mean decrease of AChE activity in favo- rable cases was statistically significant (p<0.001)but the mean increase in unfavorable cases was not significant. The mean velocity of microcirculation in finger nailfolds in patients with favorable effects after needling was significantly faster than before needling. The experiment suggests that probably the peripheral parasympathetic nervous system participates to some extent in the analgesic effects of elec- troacupuncture in the headache patients.