title: A discovery of low hydraulic resistance channel along meridians.
abstract: A hydro-mechanic model was put forward to study the fundamental nature of acupuncture meridians. The basic state of low hydraulic resistance was tested on humans and mini pigs using three methods. The first, a modified Guyton's method, proved that there was lower hydraulic resistance on meridians compared with nonmeridians. The second scanning method involved a single pressure transducer that can find the lowest resistance point in tissue, and the third method used two transducers and provided a more stable measurement. Using the latter method, low hydraulic resistance points were found very close to low impedance points along meridians. The transmission of artificial interstitial fluid pressure waves was measured to examine their connection to the low resistance points, with the result that a good connection between the points was confirmed. This means the points form channels along the meridians that we refer to as low hydraulic resistance channels. The channel was imaged through isotopic tracing and a migration of isotope (99m)Te could be found along the channel. The layer of the channel was detected by injecting Alcian blue and the track was found beneath the skin. All of the above experiments suggest the existence of a new type of channel in living tissues that has not yet been described in modern science, but coincides quite well with the Qi channel theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Science, Beijing, China. zhangweibo@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wei-Bo
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yu-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jia-He
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Ming-Fu
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Fa-Liang
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Guang-Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yi-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Rui-Hong
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008297:Male; D016740:Meridians; D019413:Qi; D051381:Rats; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D013270:Stomach / Q000737:chemistry; D013552:Swine