Acupuncture works against systemic inflammation – Naturopathy & Naturopathic Treatment Portal

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Although acupuncture in the traditional for centuries chinese medicine is used, little is known about the exact mechanisms of action. The research team led by Professor Qiufu Ma from Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has now used mice to investigate the activation of the signaling pathways in acupuncture and the effect against bacterial inflammation with a cytokine storm. Their results were published in the specialist magazine “Neuron“.

“Acupuncture, which has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine, has recently been increasingly integrated into Western medicine, particularly for the treatment of chronic pain and gastrointestinal diseases,” the researchers report. The mechanical stimulation of certain points on the body surface is intended to trigger nerve signals and influence the functions of internal organs.

Investigations with electro acupuncture

In the current study, the researchers used electro acupuncture – a modern version of traditional manual acupuncture. “Instead of needles, very thin electrodes are used in electroacupuncture, which are inserted into the skin and connective tissue and enable better control of the stimulation intensities,” the researchers report. In mice, they examined the effects on the activation of signaling pathways and on inflammation regulation.

What is a cytokine storm?

To do this, they used mice with bacterial inflammation and a cytokine storm, which they subjected to electroacupuncture at different points, with different intensities and at different times. A cytokine storm describes the rapid release of large amounts of inflammatory molecules, so-called cytokines. Cytokine storms also play a role in COVID-19 (diseases caused by the new coronavirus), for example, but can generally occur as an abnormal immune reaction with every infection and are also known as a hallmark of sepsis (blood poisoning).

Investigated effects on certain cell types

Building on previous research that pointed to the importance of neurotransmitters in regulating inflammation, the researchers focused their further investigations on two specific cell types that are known to produce or secrete these neurotransmitters.First, the chromaffin cells that are located in the Adrenal glands, and secondly, the noradrenergic neurons, which are located in the peripheral nervous system and are directly connected to the spleen by an abundance of nerve fibers.

Vagus-adrenal axis activated

In the body, the chromaffin cells are the main producers of the stress hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline as well as dopamine, while noradrenergic neurons release noradrenaline, the researchers explain. In a series of experiments, they used low intensity electroacupuncture (0.5 milliamps) at a point on the hind legs of mice with a cytokine storm (caused by a bacterial toxin). This stimulation activated the vagus adrenal axis and induced the secretion of dopamine from the adrenal chromaffin cells.

Improved survival rate through acupuncture

According to the research team, animals treated in this way had lower levels of three main types of inflammation-inducing cytokines and a higher survival rate than control mice. “60 percent of the acupuncture-treated animals survived, compared with 20 percent of the untreated animals,” reports the Harvard Medical School of the study results.

Place, time and intensity are decisive

In further experiments, the researchers were also able to prove that the location of the acupuncture as well as the time and intensity are decisive for the effect. For example, the vagus-adrenal axis could be activated by electroacupuncture of the hind limbs, but not by acupuncture points in the abdomen.

High-intensity electroacupuncture (3 milliamps) on the same hind leg acupuncture point and on an acupuncture point on the abdomen was also successful if used immediately before the development of the cytokine storm, but such treatment intensified after the onset of the disease and during the height of the cytokine storm the inflammation, reports the research team.

Adverse effect if used improperly

The results show how the same stimulus can produce dramatically different results depending on its location, time and intensity, the researchers continue. “This observation supports the idea that acupuncture, if used improperly, could have adverse results, which I don’t think people necessarily consider,” said Professor Ma.

Can acupuncture be used against inflammation and sepsis?

“Our results represent an important step in the ongoing efforts not only to understand the neuroanatomy of acupuncture, but also to find ways to integrate it into the treatment arsenal of inflammatory diseases, including sepsis,” emphasizes the study director.

If the results are confirmed in further research, electroacupuncture could one day be used as a versatile treatment modality – from accompanying therapy for sepsis to more targeted treatment of site-specific inflammations, such as inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract Conclusion from Professor Ma. (fp)