Effects of acupuncture needle modification on acupuncture analgesia  

作　　者：Ming-zhu Sun Xin Wang Ying-chen Li Yu-hang Liu Yi Yu Liu-jie Ren Wei Gu Wei Yao 

机构地区：[1]Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function,Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics,Fudan University,Shanghai 200433,China [2]Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine,Naval Medical University,Shanghai 200433,China [3]Medical Instrumentation School,Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences,Shanghai 201318,China [4]FPRS Department/ENT Institute,Eye and ENT Hospital,Fudan University,Shanghai 200031,China

出　　处：《Journal of Integrative Medicine》2025年第1期66-78,共13页结合医学学报(英文版)

基　　金：funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12172092,82174488,and 82305416);Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function(No.21DZ2271800);Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission(No.23YF1418300);Scientific Research Project on Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission—Youth Guidance Category(No.2022QN018).

摘　　要：Objective The analgesic effect of acupuncture has been widely accepted.Nevertheless,the mechanism behind its analgesic effect remains elusive,thus impeding the progress of research geared toward enhancing the analgesic effect of acupuncture.This paper investigated the role of acupuncture needle surface textures on acupuncture’s analgesic effect by creating four experimental acupuncture needles with different patterns of surface augmentation.Methods Four types of acupuncture needles with different surface textures(the lined needle,circle needle,sandpaper needle,and threaded needle)were designed.Additionally,the force/torque measurement system used a robot arm and mechanical sensor to measure the force on the needle during insertion and manipulation.To perform acupuncture analgesia experiments,four experimental acupuncture needles and a normal needle were inserted into the Zusanli(ST36)acupoint of rats with inflammatory pain.By comparing the force and torque and the analgesic efficacy of the different acupuncture needles,these experiments tested the role of acupuncture needle body texture on acupuncture analgesia.Results The analgesic effects of different acupuncture needle body textures varied.Specifically,the force required to penetrate the skin with the lined needle was not greater than that for the normal needle;however,the needle with inscribed circles and the sandpaper-roughened needle both required greater force for insertion.Additionally,the torque of the lined needle reached 2×10^(-4)N·m under twisting manipulation,which was four times greater the torque of a normal needle(5×10^(-5)N·m).Furthermore,the lined needle improved pain threshold and mast cell degranulation rate compared to the normal needle.Conclusion Optimizing the texture of acupuncture needles can enhance acupuncture analgesia.The texture of our experimental acupuncture needles had a significant impact on the force needed to penetrate the skin and the torque needed to manipulate the needle;it was also linked to variable analgesic effects

关 键 词：Acupuncture needle Acupuncture needle modification Analgesic efficacy Pain threshold Mast cell degranulation 

分 类 号：R245[医药卫生—针灸推拿学]