超声针灸的研究进展及其机制的初步探讨

超声针灸是将一定的超声能量直接或间接作用于人体腧穴,以达到治疗和保健作用的一种治疗手段,上世纪末就已运用于临床。本文在回顾国内外超声针灸研究现状的基础上,对其机制进行初步探讨。超声针灸的研究现状主要从临床研究和实验研究两方面阐述,机制探讨则从三个方面展开:1)超声生物效应,2)超声对细胞的溶解效应和非溶解效应,3)超声针灸对穴区肥大细胞的作用。在"肥大细胞激活产生的炎性反应是针刺效应产生的始动环节之一"的观点基础上,认为超声针灸的疗效与超声生物效应及超声引起的细胞效应尤其是肥大细胞激活有密切关系。

Development of Studies on Bioeffects of Ultrasound-acupuncture Therapy and Its Underlying Mechanism

The so-called ultrasound acupuncture is a therapeutic approach for clinical problems and health care by app-lying the ultrasound energy to the acupoints of the human body directly or indirectly.It has been applied in clinic for about 30 years since 1980 s.In the present paper,the authors review the development of both experimental and clinical researches in the past 30 years.Its clinical application includes allergic rhinitis,local pain,mastitis,angina pectoris of coronary heart disease,stroke,etc.Regarding the researches on the underlying mechanism of ultrasound and ultrasound acupuncture,the authors make a summary from 1) bioeffects(thermal and nonthermal effects) of ultrasound intervention;2) cell lysis and nonlysis effects of ultrasound intervention;and 3) effects of ultrasound acupuncture on the degranulation of mast cells.Based on the idea that "inflammatory reaction caused by mast cell degranulation is one of the initial factors of acupuncture for inducing therapeutic effects",bioeffects including cellular changes,especially mast cell degranulation caused by ultrasound stimulation,are thought to be the main possible mechanisms underlying the favorable efficacy of ultrasound acupuncture intervention.However,the ultrasound metrology and the specific superiority of ultrasound acupuncture remain unknown up to now.