[Summarization and analysis on acupuncture-related articles embodied in Medline data-base in 2006].
OBJECTIVE
To understand the situation of studies and development of international acupuncture and moxibustion in 2006 by analysis on the acupuncture-related articles embodied in Medline data-base in 2006.


METHODS
A total of 881 articles in Medline data-base of the ISI knowledge Web were retrieved by "acupuncture", "moxibustion", "acupressure" and "cupping" as key words, then 761 articles excluding unrelated 120 ones were analyzed and concluded for distribution of the article sources, periodicals source, type, research contents and methods.


RESULTS
Most of the articles are from China, Britain and America. The journal of the highest impact factor of 25.8 is Lancet. Acupuncture and moxibustion can treat various diseases, but primarily for relieving pain.


CONCLUSIONS
Acupuncture and moxibustion are still a part of CAM for clinical practice abroad. Most of the experiments confirm the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion, but there are some different views on some diseases. And various countries make a lot work about mechanism research of acupuncture effect, showing the feature of large range.
Zhou
Dan
D
Research Center for Experimental Acupuncture, Tianjin University of TCM, Tianjin 300193, China.
Liu
Yang-Yang
YY
Li
Gui-Lan
GL
Guo
Yi
Y
D019050:Acupressure; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D006801:Humans; D016239:MEDLINE; D009071:Moxibustion; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D013997:Time Factors