title: Effects of different acupuncture stimulations on NO content in acupoint areas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of different acupuncture stimulation on nitric oxide (NO) content in acupoint areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experiment was performed in 47 healthy volunteers providing informed consents. Both males and females were included in each group: 11 cases in electro-acupuncture group, 13 cases in manual-acupuncture group, 16 cases in warm-moxibustion group, and 7 cases in control group. Stimulations were given at Jianshi (PC 5) of the Pericardium Meridian and Chengshan (BL 57) of the Bladder Meridian with manual-acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and warm-moxibustion respectively. NO was collected from Ximen (PC 4) and Chengjin (BL 56) areas on the ipsilateral meridians, and the content was detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The content of NO in the warm-moxibustion group was higher than that in the electro-acupuncture group, the content in electro-acupuncture group was higher than that in the manual acupuncture group (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All the three stimulations can raise NO levels on acupoint areas significantly, and the effect moxibustion is superior to that of electro-acupuncture and manual acupuncture.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Pei-Jing
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide