This study was carried to identify whether acupuncture at several meridian points can affect the human anesthesia or not through the analysis of serum intermediates, such as, melatonin, serotonin, TSH, cortisol in human serum. We investigated the effect of accupuncture on the change of serum intermediates which have frequently been made a subject of discussion owing to its hyponic and sedative properties in practice.
The result obtained were as follow ;
1. Serum melatonin levels was hardly affected at 40 minutes after general acupuncture on Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan, and the other meridian points as compared with that(5.64±1.02 pg/ml) of resting control group. But on day 1 after acupuncture, these tend to increase significantly (7.95±2.05 pg/ml to 8.21±1.57pg/ml, p <0.05). On the other hand, control group under sleep showed the serum level of 7.39±1.03pg/ml. Additional acupuncture at In-Dang induced the increased melatonin level, especially at 40minutes after acupuncture(p <0.05).
2. Serotonin level in resting control serum recorded 51.14±8.17㎍/ml. Acupuncture at determined meridian point intend to increase average level of serotonin, but not significant. However observation on day 1 after acupuncture at Hab-Gwan meridian point and under sleeping showed the significantly increased serotonin level, 74.05±35.83㎍/ml, 70.44±13.08㎍/ml, respectively.
3. TSH level in intact human serum recorded 0.85±0.24μIU/ml. and the serum exposed to acupuncture showed the irregular pattern of TSH level in a mean range of 0.76±0.44μIU/ml to 1.06±0.38μIU/ml, regardless of meridian point or time after acupuncture.
4. The values of serum cortisol in control group were 11.76±2.06 ㎍/dl in resting, 7.51±2.85㎍/dl under sleep, respectively. The level of serum cortisol in 40minutes after acupuncture was markedly (p <0.05) reduced to the serum levels of 5.65±2.58㎍/dl (Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan), 7.58±3.21㎍/dl (Gyo-Gam, Sin-Mun besides Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan), 6.43±3.54㎍/dl (In-Dang besides to Hab-Gog, Nae-Gwan), respectively, as compared with control, intending to increase a little on day 1 after acupuncture.
From the above results, the analysis of serum intermediates suggest that acupunctuation at meridian points applied to at this study act upon the phase of light anaesthesia or hypnosis, at the same time affect pituitary-adrenal axis rather than hypothalamus-pituitary axis in the secretary system of hormone and also don´t affect dorsal-raphe nucleus according to the observation of change transition in serum intermediates, such as TSH, serotonin, and cortisol.
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