ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF GASTRIC AND DUODENAL ULCER

Zhu Jiang, Huang Xianming, Zhang Shulian

(Shanghai Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Shanghai)

Zhang Shanshen, Yang Yuquan

(Zhong Shan Hospital. Shanghai!

The mechanism of treating the disease with acupuncture was preliminarily studied through treatment of 41 patients with gastric and duodenal ulcer diagnosed by means of gastroscope and experimental treatment of animal models.

According to differentiation of syndromes of traditional Chinese medicine all cases were classified into 2 types: Deficiency in the spleen and the stomach, and disharmony of the liver and the stomach. The primary points of acupuncture were Zhongwan, Zhangmen. Weishu, Pishu, with additional points Zusanli and Sanyinjiao for patients of deficiency in the spleen and the stomach, Moxibustion on Zhongwan, Zusanii for patients deficient in vital energy with symptom of cold. Additional points Yanglingquan, Qimen and Daling for patients of disharmony of liver and stomach with accumulated evil fire and Zusanii and Xing-jian with stagnation of vital energy.

After 2 months of treatment, the relieved rate of stomach-ache, distress in the stomach, fullness sensation in the abdomen and acid regurgitation in 50 in-patients was 95-100%. Observation by the gastroscope showed that the curative rate was 73%.

Synthetical index of balance of autonomic nerve was measured in order to research into the mechanism of treating gastric and duodenal ulcer with acupuncture. Certain relation was found between the index and the classification of differentiation of syndromes. Most of the patients of group I presented normal function in autonomio nerve or hyperfunction of parasympathetic nerves and most of the group 2 presented hyperfunction of sympathetic nerves (p<0.01). After treatment, 2-way relation effect of acupuncture on the index was found with improvement of the symptom and condition observed with gastroscope (P<0.05 P< 0.01). Besides, acupuncture could increase the content of cAMP in plasma.

It was found in animal experiments on large white rats with ulcer acupunctured on Pishu and Weishu was shallower than that of rats acupuncture on points A Shi (point selected according to ailing locality) and control group (p<0.05), that the content of cAMP in the stomach wall of the group acupunctured on Pishu and Weishu was less than the other 2 groups (P<0.01). These indicate that acupuncture promotes the cure of ulcer and the mechanism of cure is probably that acupuncture on these points can decrease the content of cAMP in gastric wall cells to reduce the excretion of gastric acid.