ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT FOR MALARIA

Xiao Shaoqing, Wu Zhongyi, Hu Limei, Fang Zheng, Cha Chuanlong, Wu meijuan, Shi Yanhua, Xue Qiling

(Narijing College of TCM, Jiangsu)

Experimental subjects: Patients with no history of malaria attacks within 2 years, presently showed clinical manifestation of malaria being proved by positive finding of schizonis in blood smear and received no antimalaria treatment up to date.

Main points: Dazhui, Jianshi, Taodao and Houxi; Conjugated points: Zusanii, Zhiyang, Pishu and Hegu.

Method of needling: Vertical puncture at Dazhui, Taodao, Zhiyang and Zusanii points to the depth of 1.5 inches, applying strong stimulation and retained for 20-30 minutes with intermittent reinforcement every 5 minutes-Course of teratment: Once a day, needling performed 2 hours before attacks, 5 days as a course.

Criteria of the effectiveness:

Cure: Symptoms subsided within 3 days following needling, blood picture turned negative. Effective: Symptoms checked within 5 days, blood turned negative. Failure: Symptoms not checked within 5 days.

Therapeutic Effect; 133 cases were treated in which 99 were cured; 12 cases checked giving rise to a rate of 83.5% in effectiveness; 22 cases failed being 16.5% rate of failure. Follow up studies didn't reveal any evidence of recrudescence and relapses.

Experimental Study:

PHA intradermal test, serum immunoglobulin determination as well as the determinations of lymphocytes and T cellular subgroups were performed before needling treatment following 3 successive days of continuation of the treatment. The results suggested that acupuncture could readjust the immunological function of organism.