title: Hierarchical Micro/Nano-Porous Acupuncture Needles Offering Enhanced Therapeutic Properties.
abstract: Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention has been widely used for treatment of many pathophysiological disorders. For achieving improved therapeutic effects, relatively thick acupuncture needles have been frequently used in clinical practice with, in turn, enhanced stimulation intensity. However due to the discomforting nature of the larger-diameter acupuncture needles there is considerable interest in developing advanced acupuncture therapeutical techniques that provide more comfort with improved efficacy. So motivated, we have developed a new class of acupuncture needles, porous acupuncture needles (PANs) with hierarchical micro/nano-scale conical pores upon the surface, fabricated via a simple and well known electrochemical process, with surface area approximately 20 times greater than conventional acupuncture needles. The performance of these high-surface-area PANs is evaluated by monitoring the electrophysiological and behavioral responses from the in vivo stimulation of Shenmen (HT7) points in Wistar rats, showing PANs to be more effective in controlling electrophysiological and behavioral responses than conventional acupuncture needles. Comparative analysis of cocaine induced locomotor activity using PANs and thick acupuncture needles shows enhanced performance of PANs with significantly less pain sensation. Our work offers a unique pathway for achieving a comfortable and improved acupuncture therapeutic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science &Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-myeon, Dalseong-Gun, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Ll
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: In
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University, 136 Shincheondongro, Suseong-Gu, Daegu, 42158, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Gwak
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science &Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-myeon, Dalseong-Gun, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Rim
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science &Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-myeon, Dalseong-Gun, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Abdul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Razzaq
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science &Technology (DGIST), 333 Techno Jungang-daero, Hyeonpung-myeon, Dalseong-Gun, Daegu, 42988, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyeong-Seok
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University, 136 Shincheondongro, Suseong-Gu, Daegu, 42158, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University, 136 Shincheondongro, Suseong-Gu, Daegu, 42158, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: SuChan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University, 136 Shincheondongro, Suseong-Gu, Daegu, 42158, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Bong Hyo
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Flux Photon Corporation, 116 Donmoor Court, Garner, North Carolina, 27529, United States.
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Grimes
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Daegu Haany University, 136 Shincheondongro, Suseong-Gu, Daegu, 42158, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chae Ha
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D058608:Nanopores; D009339:Needles; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar