最新刊期
卷 51 ， 期 9 ， 2026
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Historical development， frontiers of exploration， and disciplinary horizons of acupuncture research AI导读
摘要：On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of Acupuncture Research， this paper systematically reviews the milestone value of the journal in promoting the scientification， standardization， and internationalization of acupuncture-moxibustion medicine. Integrating the core research achievements of the authors’ team over the past sixty-odd years—particularly the classic literature published in Acupuncture Research over the last half-century—this article deeply analyzes the development characteristics of modern acupuncture research in its transition from “empirical verification” to “mechanism-driven” science. Furthermore， it elucidates four core pathways for the high-quality development of the acupuncture research field： first， emphasizing the neurochemical principles of acupuncture analgesia to drive theoretical and technological innovation through heritage preservation； second， harnessing translational medicine as a developmental catalyst to integrate basic medicine and clinical medicine； third， spearheading the evolution of the “Clinical+X” paradigm via brain-computer interfaces； and fourth， prioritizing the standardization and internationalization of acupuncture research， while strengthening the building of multidisciplinary talent teams to enhance China’s voice and leadership in the field of global acupuncture governance. Ultimately， this work provides a robust theoretical foundation and forward-looking horizons for constructing a modern acupuncture medical system with Chinese characteristics and advancing the cause of global health.关键词：Acupuncture research;Translational medicine;Brain-computer interface;Standardization;Talent cultivation;Clinical + X16|22|0更新时间：2026-09-17 - 摘要：This paper systematically elaborates the theories of stress， biological resilience and hormesis. Mild low-dose stress induces organismic overcompensation via preconditioning， activates nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）-mediated antioxidant， autophagy， DNA repair and other pathways， and presents an inverted U-shaped biphasic dose-response relationship. Preconditioning is categorized into local and remote types， which exerts long-term protective effects on systemic organs via metabolic reprogramming as well as neuro-humoral and immune pathways， with 2 distinct protective time windows （early and delayed）. Numerous clinical trials have validated that remote ischemic preconditioning improves the prognosis of organ transplantation， stroke， hypertension and other diseases， yet its clinical application is limited by the requirement to predict injuries in advance. It proposes that somatic stimulation therapies including acupuncture， scraping and cupping act as mild stress-like interventions that fully conform to the six core characteristics of hormesis. By regulating oxidative stress， inflammatory response， mitochondrial function and DNA repair pathways， these therapies elevate systemic biological resilience， consistent with the evolutionary law that “mild stress confers benefits” and the traditional Chinese medicine health-preserving philosophy of tempering vitality through hardship as recorded in ancient texts. Acupuncture can be applied to perioperative care， chronic disorders， neurological diseases and full-life-cycle health management. Nevertheless， current research on acupuncture modulating resilience-related pathways remains insufficient， and in-depth exploration of its underlying basic mechanisms and clinical translation is still warranted.关键词：Biological resilience;Hormesis;Preconditioning;Acupuncture;Nrf2 pathway23|36|0更新时间：2026-09-17
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深切怀念《针刺研究》创刊号作者黄仲荪教授 AI导读
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为《针刺研究》杂志点赞 AI导读
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo investigate the ameliorative effect of acupuncture at “Neiguan” （PC6） on behavioral deficits， hippocampal neuronal damage， and neuroinflammation in young rats with valproic acid （VPA）- induced autism spectrum disorder （ASD）.MethodsPregnant SD rats were randomly divided into a control group and a model group. The ASD model was established by a single intraperitoneal injection of VPA （600 mg/kg） on gestational day 12.5. After birth， the offspring young rats were then randomly divided into control （CON）， ASD model （model）， sham-acupuncture （ASD+sham-Acu）， acupuncture （ASD+Acu）， solvent （DMSO） control （ASD+DMSO）， and positive drug bumetanide （ASD+Bu） groups （n=9 in each group）. Manual acupuncture （uniform reinforcing-reducing manipulation） was applied to bilateral PC6 of newborn rats for 30 min， once daily， 6 d a week， for 15 d （from the 7th day to the 21st day after birth）. After acupuncture intervention， behavioral tests including the Morris water maze test， three-chamber social test， and self-grooming test were conducted. The hippocampal tissue was collected for observing changes of neuronal morphology and dendritic spine density by using hematoxylin-eosin and Golgi staining. The expression levels of synapse-related proteins postsynaptic density protein 95 （PSD95）， glutamate decarboxylase 67 （GAD67）， vesicular GABA transporter （VGAT） and pyroptosis-related proteins NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3）， gasdermin domain-N-terminal （GSDMD-NT） and cleaved Caspase-1 in the hippocampal tissue were detected by Western blot. The levels of hippocampal interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-18 and activity of LDH were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of hippocampal reactive oxygen species （ROS） were detected by using commercial kits. The activity of hippocampal Iba1-positive cell （microglia） was assessed by immunofluorescence staining， and the cell apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining.ResultsCompared with the CON group， the model group showed a significant increase in the escape latency of water maze test， self-grooming times， LDH activity， ROS level， IL-1β and IL-18 contents， expression of PSD95， NLRP3， ratios of GSDMD-NT/GSDMD and cleaved Caspase-1/pro-Caspase-1， number of Iba1-positive cells and the apoptosis rate （P<0.01， P<0.001）， and a considerable decrease in the body mass， number of platform crossings and time spent in the target quadrant， social index and social preference， number of dendritic spine， and the expressions of GAD67 and VGAT proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001）. In comparison with the model group， both the increased and decreased levels of all the indexes mentioned above were reversed in the ASD+Acu and ASD+Bu groups （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001）， and the effects of ASD+Acu were evidently superior to those of ASD+Bu in up-regulating the expressions of GAD67 and VGAT proteins （P<0.05）， but inferior to those of ASD+Bu in shortening the escape latency， reducing ROS level， and down-regulating the protein expressions of PSD95 and NLRP3， ratio of cleaved Caspase-1/pro-Caspase-1， and apoptosis rate （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001）. The effects of acupuncture were evidently better than those of the sham acupuncture in increasing the body mass and number of platform crossings， shortening the escape latency， prolonging the time spent in the target quadrant， increasing the social index and social preference， reducing the self-grooming times， elevating the number of dendritic spine， and the expressions of GAD67 and VGAT proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001）， and in down-regulating the LDH activity and ROS levels， IL-1β and IL-18 contents， and the expressions of PSD95 and NLRP3， ratios of GSDMD-NT/GSDMD and cleaved Caspase-1/pro-Caspase-1， Iba1-positive cell number， and the apoptosis rate （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001）. Similarly， in comparison with the ASD+DMSO group， the ASD+Bu group showed a significant improvement in the aforementioned behavioral and molecular biological indexes （P<0.05， P<0.01， P<0.001）.ConclusionAcupuncture at PC6 can improve social deficits， repetitive stereotyped behavior and cognitive impairment in VPA-induced ASD-like young rats， which may be related to its functions in alleviating hippocampal neuronal damage， regulating the balance of synaptic proteins， and inhibiting oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neuroinflammation.关键词：Acupuncture;Autism;Social deficits;Repetitive stereotyped behavior;Cognitive impairment;Hippocampus;Neuroinflammation;Oxidative stress;Synaptic plasticity36|18|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo clarify the pathway by which electroacupuncture （EA） at “Taichong” （LR3） and “Zusanli” （ST36） alleviates low-grade duodenal inflammation in functional dyspepsia （FD） rats via regulating the Hippo/Yes-associated protein （YAP） signaling pathway.MethodsA total of 21 male SD rats were enrolled and randomly divided into the blank group， the model group， and the EA group （n = 7）. The FD model was established through a combined induction strategy involving simultaneous administration of forced swimming， tail-clamping stimulation， and food restriction/overeating protocols， with continuous intervention lasting 21 days. Rats in the EA group received EA stimulation at LR3 and ST36， once daily for 20 min， 6 consecutive days followed by 1-day rest each course ， with 2 courses administered in total. The general physical conditions and body weight of rats in each group were monitored throughout model establishment and treatment. Upon completion of intervention， the 3-h food intake， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal transit rate of rats were measured. HE staining was performed to observe pathological changes in duodenal mucosa. ELISA was adopted to detect serum content of motilin （MTL） and gastrin （GAS）. Western blot was used to quantify the protein expressions of YAP， transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif （TAZ）， phosphorylated （p）-YAP and p-TAZ in duodenal tissues. Immunohistochemistry was applied to determine the positive expression of interleukin （IL）-1β， IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in duodenum. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to detect the positive expression of Occludin and zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） in duodenal tissues. Quantitative real-time PCR was utilized to test the mRNA expression levels of YAP， TAZ， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2） and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） in duodenum. TUNEL staining was carried out to assess the apoptotic rate of duodenal epithelial cells.ResultsCompared with the blank group， rats in the model group exhibited severe lethargy， manifested as narrowed eyes， curled recumbency， dry and messy fur， and loose stools； the body weight， 3-h food intake， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal transit rate were markedly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）； massive inflammatory infiltration was observed in the lamina propria of duodenal tissues； serum MTL and GAS concentrations were significantly reduced （P<0.01）； the protein expression ratios of p-YAP/YAP and p-TAZ/TAZ in duodenum were notably elevated （P<0.01）； the positive expression of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α in duodenal tissues was up-regulated （P<0.01）. The mean fluorescence intensity of Occludin and ZO-1 in duodenum was remarkably lowered （P<0.01）. The mRNA level of Bax in duodenal tissues was significantly increased （P<0.01）， while the mRNA expressions of YAP， TAZ and Bcl-2 were distinctly down-regulated （P<0.01）. The apoptotic rate of intestinal epithelial cells was markedly higher （P<0.01）. After EA intervention， relative to the model group， rats in the EA group showed improved mental state， enhanced locomotor activity， glossy fur and formed stools， the inflammatory infiltration in the duodenal lamina propria was alleviated， and all the indicators mentioned above were reversed （P<0.01， P<0.05）.ConclusionEA at LR3 and ST36 can effectively relieve symptoms of FD， improve the general physical status and suppress low-grade duodenal inflammation in FD rats. Its therapeutic mechanism may be associated with regulating the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Functional dyspepsia;Hippo/YAP signaling pathway;low-grade inflammation14|44|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cones improves colonic tissue damage by regulating the cuproptosis signaling pathway in mice with ulcerative colitis （UC）.MethodsThirty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly and equally divided into a control group， a model group， and a seed-sized moxa cone moxibustion （moxibustion） group （n=10 per group） using a random number table. The UC model was established by feeding the mice with 3% dextran sulfate sodium （DSS） solution for 7 consecutive days. After successful establishment of the UC model， the mice of the moxibustion group received moxibustion at “Zhongwan” （CV12）， bilateral “Tianshu” （ST25） and bilateral “Shangjuxu” （ST37） for 3 cones， once daily for 7 consecutive days. The disease activity index （DAI） was recorded， fecal occult blood assessed， colon length measured， and the serum contents of tumor necrosis factor α （TNF- α ）， interleukin （IL）-1β， and IL-10 were determined by ELISA. Histopathological changes of the colon tissue were observed after HE staining， changes of colonic ultrastructure observed by using a transmission electron microscopy （TEM）， and the mitochondrial membrane potential in the colonic epithelial cells measured after JC-1 staining. The reactive oxygen species （ROS） level was detected using flow cytometry， and the copper ion （Cu2+） content in the colon tissue was detected by colorimetry. The mRNA and protein expression levels of ferredoxin 1 （FDX1）， dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase （DLAT）， dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase （DLST）， lipoic acid synthetase （LIAS）， and heat-shock protein 70 （HSP70） in the colon tissue were detected by using quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot， separately. The immunofluorescence intensity of DLAT in the colon tissue was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining.ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed a significant increase in the DAI score， serum TNF-α and IL-1β contents， mitochondrial low-potential ratio， ROS level in colonic epithelial cells， Cu2+ content， and expressions of HSP70 mRNA and protein （P<0.01）， and a considerable decrease in the colon length， serum IL-10， expression levels of FDX1， DLAT， DLST and LIAS mRNAs and proteins and immunofluorescence intensity of DLAT immunoactivity （P<0.01）. In comparison with the model group， both the increased and decreased levels of the indexes mentioned above were all reversed in the moxibustion group （P<0.01， P<0.05）. In addition， the fecal occult blood test was positive in the model group and weakly positive in the moxibustion group. Results of HE staining and TEM exhibited obvious damage of the intestinal mucosal epithelium with inflammatory cell infiltration， irregular mitochondrial morphology， varying degrees of swelling and vacuolization， and blurred or even broken and disappeared cristae structure in the model group； and alleviation in the pathological damage of colonic mucosal epithelium and inflammatory infiltration， improved internal structure of the colon epithelial cells， and reduction in the degree of mitochondrial swelling and vacuolization in the moxibustion group.ConclusionMoxibustion with seed-sized moxa cones can alleviate symptoms and colonic tissue injury in UC mice， which may be associated with its functions in up-regulating the expressions of cuproptosis-related proteins and genes and improving mitochondrial function and oxidative stress.关键词：Ulcerative colitis;Moxibustion with seed-sized moxa cones;Cuproptosis;Inflammation49|18|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture（EA） on mice with recurrent psoriasis， so as to explore its mechanism from the perspective of memory T cell differentiation and the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 （TRAF2）/nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB） signaling pathway.MethodsBALB/c mice were divided into batches for establishment of recurrent psoriasis model and mechanism verification experiments. The recurrence experiment included blank control group， model group， EA group， methotrexate（MTX） group， and EA + MTX group. The verification experiment additionally set up EA + NF-κB inhibitor group and EA + NF-κB agonist group. The recurrent psoriasis model was induced by topical imiquimod （IMQ） application on the back skin. EA was applied at “Quchi” （LI11） and “Zusanli” （ST36） with sparse-dense wave， frequency of 2 Hz/30 Hz and intensity of 1 mA， once daily for 7 consecutive days， 15 min each time. Lesion changes were observed and psoriasis area and severity index （PASI） scores were evaluated. HE staining was adopted to observe histopathological alterations of lesional skin tissues. ELISA was used to detect the contents of interleukin （IL）-6， IL-17A and tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α） in lesional skin tissues. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to detect mRNA expressions of IL-15， C-X-C motif chemokine ligand （CXCL） 9， CXCL10 and C-X-C chemokine receptor 3 （CXCR3） in lesional skin tissue. Flow cytometry was applied to detect the proportions of CD8+ tissue-resident memory T cells （TRM） and CD4+ TRM in skin lesions. Western blot was used to test protein expression of phosphorylated NF-κB p65 （p-NF-κB p65）， NF-κB p52， phosphorylated TRAF2 （p-TRAF2）， and phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p-p38 MAPK） in lesional skin tissues.ResultsCompared with the blank control group， the model group exhibited significantly increased PASI score， contents of IL-6， TNF-α and IL-17A， proportions of CD8+ TRM and CD4+ TRM， mRNA expressions of IL-15， CXCL9， CXCL10， CXCR3， as well as protein expressions of p-TRAF2， p-NF-κB p65 and NF-κB p52 （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， all above indicators were markedly reversed in the EA group and EA + MTX group （P<0.01， P<0.05， except for the proportion of CD4+ TRM）. Except for the proportion of CD4+ TRM and IL-17A， the remaining indicators were significantly lower in the two EA-related groups than those in the MTX group （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Compared with the EA group， the EA + MTX group showed further decreased proportion of CD8+CD103+ TRM， down-regulated mRNA expressions of CXCL9， CXCL10 and reduced p-NF-κB p65 protein expression （P<0.01，P<0.05）. In verification experiments， compared with the model group， the EA group and EA + NF-κB inhibitor group presented obvious improvements in skin lesions， inflammatory factors， proportions of CD8+CD103+ TRM and CD4+ TRM， protein expressions of p-TRAF2， p-NF-κB p65， and mRNA levels of CXCL9， CXCL10， CXCR3 （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Compared with the EA group， these indicators （except for PASI score） were further decreased in the EA + inhibitor group （P<0.01， P<0.05）； in the EA + agonist group， all these indicators were significantly elevated （P<0.01， P<0.05）.ConclusionEA can effectively alleviate symptoms of recurrent psoriasis. Its underlying mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of the TRAF2/NF-κB signaling pathway and specifically down-regulating the level of CD8+ memory T cells.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Psoriasis recurrence;Memory T cells;Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2/nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway14|36|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effect of electroacupuncture （EA） on the cognitive ability，hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha （HIF-1α）/6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2， 6-bisphosphatase 3 （PFKFB3） signaling pathway and glycolytic function in the hippocampus of Alzheimer’s disease （AD） model mice， so as to elucidate its potential mechanism underlying improvement of cognitive function.MethodsMale APP/PS1 transgenic mice were used as the AD model and randomly divided into model， EA and EA plus dimethyloxaloylglycine （DMOG， antagonist of α-ketoglutarate cofactor and inhibitor of HIF prolylhydroxylase） groups （n=6 each）. Age-matched C57BL/6J mice served as the control group （n=6）. EA stimulation （2 Hz， 1 mA） was applied to bilateral “Shenshu”（BL23） and “Zusanli”（ST36）， acupuncture was applied to “Baihui” （GV20） for 20 min， once every other day for 4 weeks. The mice in the EA+DMOG group was received intraperitoneal injection of DMOG （50 mg/kg） solution on the basis of EA starting from the 4th week. The mouse’s cognitive function was evaluated by using Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. Hematoxylin-eosin （H.E.） staining and immunohistochemistry were used to observe hippocampal neuronal morphology and β-amyloid （Aβ）1-42 deposition. The contents of pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2） and lactate dehydrogenase A （LDHA） in the hippocampal tissue were assayed using ELISA， and the activity of hippocampal hexokinase （HK） and content of lactic acid were detected using biochemical methods. Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of hippocampal HIF-1α and PFKFB3 protein， and real-time quantitative PCR was employed to detect the expression levels of hippocampal HIF-1α， PFKFB3， HK， PKM2， and LDHA mRNAs. The immunofluorescence histochemistry technique was used to measure the fluorescence intensity of hippocampal LDHA.ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed significantly longer escape latency， fewer platform crossings and lower novel object recognition index （P<0.01）. After EA intervention， the escape latency was evidently shorter， the platform crossings and the novel object recognition index were apparently increased in the EA group （P<0.01）， suggesting an improvement of the recognition ability and learning-memory ability. Following administration of DMOG， the effects of EA in shortening the escape latency， and increasing the number of platform crossings and novel object recognition index were eliminated （P<0.01，P<0.05， compared with the EA group）. In contrast to the control group， the model group had a considerable increase in the optical density of Aβ1-42， contents of PKM2， LDHA， lactate， and HK activity， expression levels of HIF-1α and PFKFB3 proteins and mRNAs， and HK， PKM2， LDHA mRNAs， and LDHA fluorescence density （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the increased levels of Aβ1-42 optical density， contents of PKM2， LDHA， lactate and HK activity， expression levels of HIF-1α and PFKFB3 proteins and mRNAs， and HK， PKM2， LDHA mRNAs， and LDHA fluorescence density were all reversed in the EA group （P<0.01）. In comparison with the EA group， the decreased levels of Aβ1-42 optical density， contents of PKM2， LDHA， lactate， and HK activity， expression levels of HIF-1α and PFKFB3 proteins and mRNAs， and HK， PKM2， LDHA mRNAs， and LDHA fluorescence intensity were reversed by EA+DMOG （P<0.01， P<0.05）. HE staining showed swollen or disintegrated neuronal cell bodies in the hippocampal CA1 region， deepened nuclear staining and expanded intercellular space in the model group. In comparison with the model group， the EA group （not the EA+DMOG group） displayed relatively intact nuclei of neurons， mitigated swelling of cell body and reduction in the infiltration of inflammatory cells and uniform distribution of cells in the CA1 region.ConclusionEA can significantly improve the cognitive function in AD model mice， which may be related to its function in inhibiting the hippocampal HIF-1α/PFKFB3 signaling pathway to reduce glycolytic enzyme activity and abnormal lactate accumulation.关键词：Alzheimer’s disease;Electroacupuncture;Glycolysis;Cognitive ability;Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α;6-Phosphofructo-2-kinase/Fructose-2，6-bisphosphatase 3112|99|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effects of electroacupuncture （EA） intervention on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （AKT）/forkhead box transcription factor O1 （FoxO1） signaling pathway and gluconeogenic function in liver tissue of type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） model rats， so as to elucidate the possible mechanisms underlying EA improvement of blood glucose levels.MethodsMale SD rats were fed with a high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to establish T2DM model. The rats were randomly divided into model， EA， and EA + LY294002 groups， with 10 rats in each group； another 10 age-matched SD rats were selected as the control group. Rats in the EA group received EA intervention at “Zusanli” （ST36） and “Neiting” （ST44） as well as acupuncture at “Weiwanxiashu” （EX-B3）， once daily for 15 min each time， 6 times a week， for 4 consecutive weeks. The EA + LY294002 group received intraperitoneal injection of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 （10 mg/kg） in addition to the EA treatment once daily， with the same intervention period with the EA group. Random blood glucose was measured using a glucometer； body weight was measured with an electronic balance； HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in liver tissue； real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of PI3K， AKT， FoxO1， phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase （PEPCK）， and glucose-6-phosphatase （G6Pase）； Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of PI3K， p-PI3K， AKT， p-AKT， FoxO1， PEPCK， and G6Pase.ResultsAfter treatment， compared with the control group， the model group showed significantly elevated random blood glucose levels （P<0.01）， decreased body weight （P<0.01）， severe liver tissue damage with enlarged hepatocytes and numerous fatty vacuoles， decreased mRNA expression levels of PI3K and AKT and reduced p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expression ratios （P<0.01， P<0.05）， and increased mRNA and protein expression levels of FoxO1， PEPCK， and G6Pase （P<0.01） in liver tissue. Compared with the model group， the EA group showed significantly decreased random blood glucose （P<0.01）， increased body weight （P<0.01）， improved liver pathological injury with reduced hepatocyte size and attenuated steatosis， significantly increased mRNA expression levels of PI3K and AKT and elevated p-PI3K/PI3K and p-AKT/AKT protein expression ratios （P<0.01）， and decreased mRNA and protein expression levels of FoxO1， PEPCK， and G6Pase （P<0.01） in liver tissue. Compared with the EA group， the EA + LY294002 group showed elevated random blood glucose （P<0.01）， decreased body weight （P<0.05）， aggravated liver tissue injury， decreased mRNA expression levels of PI3K and AKT and reduced p-AKT/AKT protein expression ratio （P<0.01， P<0.05）， and increased mRNA and protein expression levels of FoxO1， PEPCK， and G6Pase （P<0.01， P<0.05） in liver tissue.ConclusionEA at EX-B3， ST36， and ST44 can significantly reduce blood glucose levels， increase body weight， and improve liver injury in T2DM rats. The underlying mechanism may involve activation of the hepatic PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 signaling pathway， which suppresses the expression of the downstream gluconeogenic key enzymes PEPCK and G6Pase， thereby reducing hepatic glucose output.关键词：Type 2 diabetes mellitus;Electroacupuncture;PI3K/AKT/FoxO1 signaling pathway;Gluconeogenesis;Hepatic glucose output31|25|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo observe the effects of electroacupuncture （EA） intervention at different time points on cuproptosis-related proteins and Cu2+ levels in the ischemic penumbra of rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury （CIRI） after acute ischemic stroke （IS）， so as to explore the mechanism by which acupuncture inhibits cuproptosis to improve neurological function in CIRI rats， as well as the therapeutic efficacy of intervention administered at different time windows.MethodsSD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group， model group， 0 h acupuncture group， 24 h acupuncture group and 48 h acupuncture group， with 12 rats in each group. The middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion （MCAO/R） model was established by Longa filament occlusion method. Rats in each EA group received 30 min of EA at “Baihui” （GV20） and “Fengfu” （GV16） at 0 h， 24 h and 48 h after reperfusion， respectively. Modified neurological severity score （mNSS） was used to evaluate the recovery of neurological deficit. 2，3，5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride （TTC） staining was adopted to detect cerebral infarct volume. Colorimetric assay was performed to measure Cu2+ content in brain tissues of the ischemic penumbra. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of ferredoxin 1 （FDX1）， dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase （DLAT）， lipoic acid synthetase （LIAS）， and solute carrier family 31 member 1 （SLC31A1） in the ischemic penumbra.ResultsCompared with the sham operation group， the model group exhibited significantly elevated mNSS score， cerebral infarct volume， Cu2+ content in ischemic penumbra tissues， as well as increased mRNA and protein expression of DLAT and SLC31A1 （P<0.01）； meanwhile， the mRNA and protein expression of FDX1 and LIAS were markedly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， all acupuncture groups presented reduced mNSS score， cerebral infarct volume， Cu2+ level， together with down-regulated mRNA and protein expression of DLAT and SLC31A1 （P<0.01， P<0.05）， and up-regulated mRNA and protein expression of FDX1 and LIAS （P<0.01， P<0.05）. Compared with the 24 h acupuncture group and 48 h acupuncture group， the 0 h acupuncture group showed distinctly lower mNSS score， cerebral infarct volume， Cu2+ content， and weaker mRNA and protein expression of DLAT and SLC31A1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， accompanied by remarkably higher mRNA and protein expression of FDX1 and LIAS （P<0.01， P<0.05）. The 24 h acupuncture group achieved better outcomes in cerebral infarct volume， Cu2+ content， and mRNA expression of DLAT， SLC31A1， FDX1 and LIAS relative to the 48 h acupuncture group （P<0.01， P<0.05）.ConclusionEA intervention can effectively suppress cuproptosis and alleviate cerebral injury in CIRI rats， and early EA intervention exerts superior efficacy in ameliorating neurological impairment after CIRI. The underlying mechanism may involve regulating the expression of FDX1， DLAT， LIAS and SLC31A1， reducing brain Cu2+ concentration， and thereby inhibiting neuronal cuproptosis.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury;Ferredoxin 1;Cuproptosis;Early intervention19|41|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect of electroacupuncture on Piezo1 protein in rats with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy （CSR） and its impact on the nitric oxide （NO）/cyclic guanosine monophosphate （cGMP）/protein kinase G （PKG） signaling pathway， in order to explore the analgesic mechanism of electroacupuncture in treating CSR.MethodsMale SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation， model， electroacupuncture （EA）， and EA+Yoda1 groups， with 10 rats in each group. The CSR model was established by a surgical procedure involving thread insertion into the vertebral canal. Rats in the EA group received electroacupuncture at bilateral “Hegu” （LI4） and “Taichong” （LR3） acupoints for 20 min per session， continuously for 7 days. Rats in the EA+Yoda1 group received an intraperitoneal injection of the Piezo1 agonist Yoda1 （1.5 mg/kg） before electroacupuncture treatment. Gait score， mechanical paw withdrawal threshold， and thermal paw withdrawal latency were measured before and after the electroacupuncture intervention. Pathological changes in the spinal cord tissue at the lesion site were observed using hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. The mRNA expression level of Piezo1 in the spinal cord was detected by qPCR. The expression of Piezo1 and calmodulin （CaM） in the spinal cord was detected by immunofluorescence double staining. The protein expression levels of CaM， neuronal nitric oxide synthase （nNOS）， soluble guanylate cyclase （sGC）， and PKG1 in the spinal cord were detected by Western blot. The content of cGMP in the spinal cord was measured by ELISA. The nitrite colorimetric method was used to determine the NO content in the spinal cord.ResultsCompared to the sham-operation group， the model group showed increased gait score （P<0.01）， decreased mechanical withdrawal threshold， and shortened thermal withdrawal latency before intervention （P<0.01）. After intervention， the model group exhibited significant increases in Piezo1 mRNA expression， Piezo1 and CaM immunofluorescence intensity and co-localization， protein expressions of CaM， nNOS， sGC and PKG1， as well as cGMP and NO contents in the spinal cord tissue （P<0.01）. HE staining revealed shrunken neurons， deepened cytoplasmic staining， blurred nuclear-cytoplasmic boundaries， glial cell hyperplasia， increased cell density， and dilated microvessels with hemorrhage in the spinal cord of the model group. Compared to the model group， the electroacupuncture group showed decreased gait score （P<0.01）， increased mechanical withdrawal threshold， and prolonged thermal withdrawal latency （P<0.01）. Piezo1 mRNA expression， Piezo1 and CaM immunofluorescence intensity and co-localization， protein expressions of CaM， nNOS， sGC， PKG1， as well as cGMP and NO contents were all reduced （P<0.01）. HE staining showed occasionally shrunken neurons in the electroacupuncture group， with reduced microvascular dilation and glial cell hyperplasia compared to the model group. Compared to the electroacupuncture group， the EA+Yoda1 group showed shortened thermal withdrawal latency （P<0.01）， and increased Piezo1 mRNA expression， Piezo1 and CaM immunofluorescence intensity and co-localization， protein expressions of CaM， nNOS， sGC， PKG1， as well as cGMP and NO contents （P<0.05，P<0.01）. HE staining revealed neuronal shrinkage， increased glial cell numbers， and some microvascular dilation with hemorrhage in the EA+Yoda1 group.ConclusionElectroacupuncture can effectively alleviate pain in CSR rats， potentially by inhibiting Piezo1 protein activation and suppressing the NO/cGMP/PKG signaling pathway in the spinal cord to exert analgesic effects.关键词：Cervical radiculopathy;Electroacupuncture;Analgesia;Piezo1116|153|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：Chronic pain is often accompanied by negative emotions such as anxiety， depression， and aversion， with structural and functional abnormalities in the limbic system serving as the key pathological basis for this comorbidity. Acupuncture can improve pain-related emotions by modulating multilevel neural centers within the limbic system. At the cortical level， acupuncture can restore the regulatory mechanism of the cortex over pain-related emotions by modulating the neural plasticity of the anterior cingulate cortex， medial cingulate cortex， prefrontal cortex， and insular cortex； at the subcortical level， acupuncture can act on the amygdala and hippocampus to block negative emotions induced by nociceptive information； at the diencephalic level， acupuncture can inhibit the generation of pain-related emotions by down-regulating the abnormal excitability of thalamic paraventricular nucleus neurons， thereby blocking the transmission of pain signals to the limbic system. From a hierarchical perspective of the limbic system， this review elucidated the mechanisms of acupuncture intervention in pain-related emotions， providing a theoretical foundation and reference for clinical research on acupuncture treatment of pain-related emotions.关键词：Acupuncture;Limbic system;Pain emotion;Research progress82|30|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness， safety and compliance of heat-sensitive moxibustion self-management in community patients with essential hypertension.MethodsA total of 120 patients with essential hypertension were recruited from three communities and randomly assigned at a 1∶1 ratio to either the intervention group （heat-sensitive moxibustion self-management combined with original antihypertensive regimen） or the control group （original antihypertensive regimen alone）. In the intervention group， heat-sensitive moxibustion was applied to one main acupoint with the strongest moxibustion sensation selected from three main acupoints （Yongquan［KI1］， Baihui［GV20］， Shenque［CV8］） and one adjunct acupoint with the strongest moxibustion sensation selected from five adjunct acupoints （Quchi［LI11］， Zusanli［ST36］， Hegu［LI4］， Taichong［LR3］， Dazhui［GV14］）. The treatment lasted approximately 30 minutes once daily， with flexible adjustment of frequency allowed. The intervention and follow-up period lasted 6 months. The primary outcome was the reduction in systolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes included the reduction in diastolic blood pressure， antihypertensive effective rate， changes in antihypertensive medication dosage， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptom score for hypertension， quality of life score measured by the EuroQol Five-Dimension Five-Level Questionnaire （EQ-5D-5L）， and incidence of new-onset cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Compliance with heat-sensitive moxibustion self-management and incidence of adverse events were also assessed.ResultsA total of 89.2% （107/120） of patients completed the 6-month follow-up. At the end of the 6-month intervention， the reduction in systolic blood pressure from baseline was significantly greater in the intervention group than in the control group （P<0.01）， whereas no significant difference was observed in the change in diastolic blood pressure from baseline between the two groups. The antihypertensive effective rate was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group （P<0.05）. The intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in the EQ-5D-5L overall health self-rating score， total TCM hypertension symptom score， and individual symptoms including headache， tinnitus and red eyes compared with the control group （P<0.01， P<0.05）. All heat-sensitive moxibustion-related adverse events were mild.ConclusionHeat-sensitive moxibustion self-management can reduce systolic blood pressure， improve antihypertensive effective rate， and alleviate hypertension-related symptoms and quality of life in community patients with essential hypertension， with favorable safety and compliance. These findings suggest that heat-sensitive moxibustion can be promoted as an adjunctive management strategy for essential hypertension in community settings.关键词：Essential hypertension;Heat-sensitive moxibustion;Community;Randomized controlled trial;Self-management;Effectiveness evaluation89|311|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：Depression is a complex systemic disease dominated by emotional disorders， whose occurrence and progression involve multiple pathological processes including imbalance of immune inflammatory response， disrupted metabolic homeostasis and abnormal neural plasticity. Recent studies indicate that a single mechanism cannot fully interpret the pathological characteristics of depression， and multi-system coupling dysfunction serves as a crucial biological basis. As a characteristic traditional Chinese medical therapy， acupuncture presents favorable efficacy in the prevention and treatment of depression， yet its action mechanism lacks a systematically integrated theoretical framework. Based on a systematic review of relevant studies on the antidepressant effect of acupuncture， this paper summarizes regulatory evidence of acupuncture on immune inflammation， oxidative stress， energy metabolism， neural plasticity and brain network from the immunity-metabolism-nerve coupling perspective. It mainly discusses the cross-system cascade regulation mediated by key molecular nodes and signaling pathways. Furthermore， it proposes that acupuncture may exert antidepressant effects by remodeling the dynamic balance of the immunity-metabolism-nerve network and restoring systemic homeostasis. This study aims to provide theoretical references for clarifying the systematic regulatory mechanism of acupuncture against depression and promoting its individualized clinical application.关键词：Acupuncture;Depression;Immune inflammatory response;Metabolic homeostasis;Neural plasticity;Brain network function62|23|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：Electroacupuncture （EA） shows marked clinical efficacy in the treatment of functional gastrointestinal disorders （FGIDs）； however， there is no consensus on optimal parameter selection. This review systematically summarizes recent evidence on six key EA parameters—acupoint selection， needling depth， stimulation frequency， current intensity， waveform， and stimulation duration/frequency—in the management of FGIDs. For gastric motility disorders， deep needling at Zhongwan （CV12）， Zusanli （ST36）， Neiguan （PC6）， and Yintang （GV24+） are recommended. For intestinal dysmotility， deep needling at Tianshu （ST25）， Quchi （LI11）， Shangjuxu （ST37）， and GV24+ are advised. Patients with functional dyspepsia or constipation may benefit from 2 Hz/100 Hz alternating frequency， intermittent waveform， and strong but tolerable current intensity with a needle retention of 20 min， once daily， 5 days per week for 4 consecutive weeks. By contrast， low-intensity stimulation is suggested for diarrhea-predominant FGIDs. Elucidating the optimal parameter combinations and their underlying mechanisms will facilitate dynamic optimization and precision-based recommendations for EA therapy， paving the way toward acupoint–technique synergy and ultimately enhancing the reliability and personalization of clinical outcomes.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Functional gastrointestinal disorders;Parameter selection250|590|0更新时间：2026-09-17
- 摘要：ObjectiveTo analyze the characteristics of acupoint selection and stimulation parameters in randomized controlled trials （RCTs） of electroacupuncture for motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke.MethodsThe search was conducted in Chinese and English Databases， including China National Knowledge Infrastructure （CNKI）， Wanfang， VIP， China Biomedical Literature Database， PubMed， Cochrane Library， Web of Science， and Embase， from the inceptions of these databases to December 31， 2025. RCTs of electroacupuncture for motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke in patients were included. Data on participant characteristics， the location or type of motor dysfunction， acupoint selection， and electroacupuncture stimulation parameters were extracted. Descriptive statistics and frequency analysis were used to summarize the distribution and characteristics of acupoints and stimulation parameters. Methodological quality assessment was performed to evaluate the included studies， and association rule analysis， hierarchical clustering， and network visualization were applied to identify structural patterns of high-frequency acupoint combinations.ResultsA total of 208 RCTs were included， involving 192 acupoints with a total use frequency of 1948. The main high-frequency acupoints were Quchi （LI11）， Zusanli （ST36）， Hegu （LI4）， Waiguan （TE5）， Jianyu （LI15）， Yanglingquan （GB34）， Shousanli （LI10） and Sanyinjiao （SP6）. Acupoint selection varied to some extent in accordance with the location or type of motor dysfunction. For motor dysfunction in the upper limbs， Quchi （LI11）， Hegu （LI4）， Waiguan （TE5）， Shousanli （LI10） and Jianyu （LI15） were commonly used， whereas for that in the lower limbs and feet， Zusanli （ST36）， Yanglingquan （GB34）， Sanyinjiao （SP6）， Taichong （LR3） and Jiexi （ST41） were frequently selected. Association rule and cluster analysis suggested that the core acupoint group was primarily composed of Quchi （LI11）， Hegu （LI4）， Waiguan （TE5）， LI10， and LI15 for the motor impairment of upper limbs； that for the motor impairment of lower limbs included ST36， GB34， SP6， ST41 and Xuanzhong （GB39）. Regarding stimulation parameters of electroacupuncture， the low frequency and its variants were predominated， while dense-disperse and continuous waves were the common waveform types； current intensity and pulse width were mostly depended on “patient’s tolerance” or “mild local muscle twitching”. The duration of each treatment session was 30 minutes， treatment schedules were reported as once daily， 5 or 6 times per week， and the treatment course was ranged from 2 to 4 weeks.ConclusionAmong the included RCTs of electroacupuncture for motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke， acupoint selection is characterized as a certain of centrality， stability and diversity. The stimulation parameters of electroacupuncture exhibit significant heterogeneity and are not reported in accordance with the relevant guidelines. In the future， based on the clarification of different functional subtypes， it needs to enhance the quantification and standardized reporting of the intervention parameters of electroacupuncture， so as to improve inter-study comparability and protocol reproducibility.关键词：Electroacupuncture;Motor dysfunction after ischemic stroke;Randomized controlled trials;Acupoint selection;Stimulation parameters;Data mining76|55|0更新时间：2026-09-17
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