Atlas of Acupuncture

9 Scientific Research

G.B.-7
G.B.-4

A large-scale Chinese case study (n
500) reports the success-

ful application of acupuncture at G.B.-7in the treatment of

hemiplegiaafter apoplexy. Sun et al, J Tradit Chin Med 1985

G.B.-8
G.B.-5

G.B.-11
ST-8

G.B.-7 T.B.-20

Circumauricular

hairline

1 cun 1/3

G.B.-14

G.B.-14
T.B.-8; ST-8; LIV-3

A case study reports that 63 patients with facial paralysiswere

treated with acupuncture at G.B.-14, BL-1, ST-2, L.I.-20, ST-4,

ST-6and ST-18plus auxiliary points according to the underly-

ing TCM pattern. Just over half of the patients were cured and all

except one patient showed a marked improvement. Liu et al,

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu 1992

Hairline

0.5 cun

G.B.- 15

ST-8

G.B.-15An uncontrolled, non-randomised, group-comparison

trial investigated the effect of acupuncture on childhood diar-

rhoea. Group I received scalp acupuncture (after Yamamoto)

with points on line 3 starting at G.B.-15; Group II received body

acupuncture; and Group III was treated with antibiotics. Group I

showed the best results, followed by Group II and Group III,

with results in Group I and II significantly better than in Group

III. However, besides some methodological shortcomings, the

authors did not seem to have a very firm grasp of their subject

matter: while using the correct points for the correct indication,

they refer to line 3 as line 2 and to G.B.-15 as BL-15! Lin et al,

J Tradit Chin Med 1993

G.B.-20
ST-8; LIV-3; S.I.-18; L.I.-15

G.B.-26

11th rib

G.B.-26An earlier prospective group-comparison trial investi-

gated the analgesic effectof electro-acupuncture (EA) at G.B.-26,

ST-36, SP-6and HE-7in patients who underwent hysterectomy

by subumbilical midline incision. EA for 40 minutes had the

same analgesic effect as 30 mg pentazocine. However, in con-

trast to pentazocine; EA also improved the vital capacity of the

lung for 3–4 hours after the treatment. Facco et al, Am J Chin

Med 1981

G.B.-30
L.I.-12; L.I.-15

G.B.-31

G.B.-31
L.I.-4

Three publications by a Canadian research team led by Romita

demonstrated that electro-acupuncture (EA) at G.B.-31, ST-32and

ST-36resulted in a more pronounced inhibition of the nociceptive

tail withdrawal reflexthan classical acupuncture in slightly

anaesthetised rats. Romita et al, Brain Res 1997, Romita et al,

Brain Res Bull 1997, Romita et al, Brain Res 1996

G.B.-34 Head of the fibula

G.B.-34
BL-10; Du-20; ST-36; L.I.-4; L.I.-15

A Korean prospective randomised placebo-controlled experi-

mental trial (n
10) investigated the effect of acupuncture at

G.B.-34on motor cortex activities as evidenced by fMRI. Bilat-

eral sensorimotor areas BA 3, 4, 6 and 7 were activated during

acupuncture, providing a basis for future investigations regard-

ing therapeutic interventions in strokepatients. Jeun et al, Am

J Chin Med 2005

A Chinese prospective, randomised, controlled trial (n
20)

investigated the effectiveness of electro-acupuncture (EA) at

G.B.-34and ST-38on epicondylitis lateralis (tennis elbow)

compared to manual acupuncture at the same points. After six

treatments over a period of two weeks, the EA group showed

significantly better results in relation to pain relief (Pain visual

Spinous process C7 1/2

G.B.-21

T.B.-15

G.B.-21
L.I.-15

A Chinese case study reports the successful treatment of acha-

lasia of the cardiawith acupuncture at G.B.-21. Shi et al,

J Tradit Chin Med 1994

G.B.-24
LIV-14