Alternative Medicine Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Alternative Medicine, including details on complementary medicine, alternative therapies, homeopathy.

The mechanism of acupuncture and clinical applications.

Cabýoglu MT, Ergene N, Tan U

Department of Physiology, Selçuk University, Faculty of Meram Medica, Konya, Turkey. tugcab@yahoo.com

This study presents the result of the studies explaining the effects of acupuncture on various systems and symptoms. It has been determined that endomorphin-1, beta endorphin, encephalin, and serotonin levels increase in plasma and brain tissue through acupuncture application. It has been observed that the increases of endomorphin-1, beta endorphin, encephalin, serotonin, and dopamine cause analgesia, sedation, and recovery in motor functions. They also have immunomodulator effects on the immune system and lipolithic effects on metabolism. Because of these effects, acupuncture is used in the treatment of pain syndrome illnesses such as migraine, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and trigeminal neuralgia; of gastrointestinal disorders such as disturbance at gastrointestinal motility and gastritis; of psychological illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and panic attack; and in rehabilitation from hemiplegia and obesity.

Published 5 January 2006 in Int J Neurosci, 116(2): 115-25.
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