Revealing acupuncture meridian-like system by reactive oxygen species visualization

Topical Application of TAT‐Superoxide Dismutase in Acupoints LI 20 on Allergic Rhinitis

“…What is different with acupuncture may be that it removes intracellular superoxide at acupoints by puncturing cells containing superoxide and cause a leakage rather than enzymatic scavenging inside the cells. As is shown by our previous work [14], meridian lines may be the alignment of cells with a high content of superoxide, it is possibly a novel channel for superoxide transporting and disposal between acupoints and the action target of acupuncture, as is in this case a channel between LI 20 and nasal epithelium. It will be a formidable task to answer questions such as where those superoxide anions originate, how they are transported intercellularly along the meridian line, and why they are distributed along the line; nevertheless, the association of meridian system with intracellular superoxide as reconfirmed by this study provides promising new clues to not only the elucidation of the mechanism of effective but overwhelmingly suspected acupuncture treatment but also the discovery of an anatomically adelomorphic system in mammals.…”

“…As is shown by our previous work [14], these channels may be the alignment of cells with a high content of superoxide, it is possibly a novel channel for superoxide transporting and disposal between acupoints and the action target of acupuncture, as is in this case a channel between LI 20 and nasal epithelium.…”

“…Many techniques were improved to ROS imaging at levels of intact cells, whole organs or tissues, and even live organisms [13]. In our previous work, reproducible fluorescence lines superimposable to meridian lines were revealed on the frontal interior abdominal wall when intracellular ROS indicators were injected into living SD-rats tail vein, confirming the substantial implication of ROS in meridian system [14]. A controlled study has shown that topical application of superoxide dismutase (SOD) fused with the TAT peptide (TAT-SOD), to various acupoints along the meridian lines used in acupuncture to treat obesity, leads to significant weight loss [15], monitoring the effects of acupoint antioxidant intervention by measuring electrical potential difference along the meridian [16].…”

Visualising reactive oxygen species in live mammals and revealing of ROS-related system

“…When we injected rats intravenously with the ROS indicators, 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and MitoSOX Red (MitoSOX) [12], intense fluorescent lines appeared on the frontal abdominal wall showing a pattern similar to that of classical acupuncture meridians. Neither unanimous, dispersed nor random, the specific fluorescent patterns indicated the unlikelihood of intracellular disposal of superoxide derived from mitochondrial leakage of electrons, and revealed the existence of a system related to ROS [13].…”

Monitoring the Effects of Acupoint Antioxidant Intervention by Measuring Electrical Potential Difference along the Meridian

“…An imbalance between ROS and cell defense systems results in the oxidative stress which is intricately connected to ageing and life span [ 3 , 4 ]. While investigating the ROS distribution in living SD-rats in 2008, we accidentally discovered that there existed a special ROS-containing cellular network which was perfectly superimposable on a standard human acupuncture meridian network, as to the phenomenon that conception vessel meridian, spleen meridian, stomach meridian, and kidney meridian emitted intense green fluorescence corresponding to the intracellular ROS indicator [ 5 ]. It suggests that acupuncture meridian could be a channel in which ROS are either localized or transported.…”