The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism of cutaneous vasodilation following acupuncture stimulation by investigating the roles of nitric oxide (NO) and axon reflex vasodilation.
The subjects were 17 healthy male volunteers. The role of NO was investigated by administering NG-nitro-
In the first protocol, sites administered L-NAME showed significant reductions in CVC responses following acupuncture stimulation compared to control sites (administered Ringer’s solution) (p<0.05). In the second protocol, changes in CVC responses after acupuncture stimulation did not differ significantly between treated sites with EMLA cream and untreated sites (p>0.05).
These data suggest that cutaneous vasodilation in response to acupuncture stimulation may not occur through an axon reflex as previously reported. Rather, NO mechanisms appear to contribute to the vasodilator response. Click here to read original article content.
Article Courtesy of NCBI – PubMed.gov Kimura K, Takeuchi H, Yuri K, Wakayama I