title: The pharmacological mechanisms of electroacupuncture.
abstract: Acupuncture is a therapeutic procedure that has been practiced for thousands of years in South East Asia to treat a variety of pathological symptoms and conditions. In 1997, the NIH released a consensus statement concluding that acupuncture is effective or at least useful for the treatment of 13 conditions including nausea and vomiting induced by surgery or chemotherapy, dental pain, and lower back pain. Although the beneficial aspects of acupuncture have been widely accepted, the mechanisms by which acupuncture acts are only partially understood. This review highlights the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the neurological (sensory), cardiovascular and gastrointestinal effects of electroacupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kansai University of Health Sciences, Wakaba, Kumatori, Sennan, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukazawa
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Shiroh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kishioka
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways; D000698:Analgesia / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000294:innervation; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000009:adverse effects; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism; D059408:Pain Management
chemical_list: D018847:Opioid Peptides