经穴一氧化氮生化生理学研究:进展与展望

我们建立了人体皮肤表面穴位及经脉收集、测量一氧化氮代谢产物的方法。一氧化氮含量在人体心包经和膀胱经经穴增加,经抗菌处理后一氧化氮含量降低。据此,我们得出结论认为一氧化氮在皮肤表面经穴部位高水平是一种细菌参与的非生化酶化学合成过程,除此以外,还与L-精氨酸合成一氧化氮系统相关。一氧化氮介导皮肤交感神经产生去甲肾上腺素功能,因此经穴具有低电阻的特性。

Biochemical Physiology of Nitric Oxide over Acupuncture Points and Meridians: New Approach and Perspectives

We have found that nitric oxide (NO) contents are increased in skin acupoints associated with enhanced neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) protein level in rats. Our recent studies show that L-arginine-derived NO synthesis increases skin electric currents over acupoints in rats. Consistently, norepinephrine (NE) turnover rate is decreased in acupoints with high skin electric currents, and enhanced 3H-NE synthesis/release in acupoints/meridians is facilitated by presence of an exogenous NO donor and inhibited by an inhibitor of NO synthesis. We have developed an innovative method to collect and measure NO metabolites from acupoints and meridians on the skin surface in humans. NO contents are consistently increased over PC and BL acupoints in humans, and increased NO content is reduced by anti-bacteria on skin surface. We conclude that the nonenzymatic reduction of nitrate by bacteria is involved in chemical generation of NO on skin acupoints/meridians in addition to neuronal NOergic system. NO mediates noradrenergic function on skin sympathetic nerve activation, which contributes to low resistance characteristics of acupoints and meridians.