For the purpose of understanding the antiobesity effect of acupuncture and it's influence on water and salt metabolisrn in the patients sufferring from simple obesity

we have obeserved the changes of symptoms and signs

obesity indices

blood sodium

blood potassium

mOsm of plasma and urinary aldosterone before and after acupuncture treatment in 75 patients with simple obesitv (42 cases with edema. 33 cases without edema). The results showed that the total effective rate of antiobesity treatrnent for one rnonth was 89. 3%. Before acupuncture the concentrations of blood sodium and aldosterone of the patients with edema were significantly higher than those of normal persons or the patients without edema

but the concentration of hlood potassium and rnOsm of plasma of the patients with edema were significantly lower than those of normal persons or the patients without ederna. After acupuncture treatment the concentrations of blood sodium and aldosterone decreased markedly and the concentration of blood potassiurn and mOsm of plasma increased rernarkably in the patients with edema. It indicated that acupuncture treatrnent not only had a good antiobesity effect

but also improved the water and salt metabolisrn of the patients with obesity by the regulation of nervous system and body fluid.