針灸臨床效益與解剖、組織與生化相關性之深入研究

Further Study on the Anatomical, Histological and Biochemical Bases Underlying Clinical Acupuncture Effectiveness

為分析針灸點、經脈結構與臨床針灸效果之關係，本研究共分析了356 個樣本，其中287 個取自50 具屍體，69 個取自活病人。樣本取自針灸點下三層次組織即位於針灸點，經脈及離開經脈較遠之部位。共採用了六種染色方法以顯示採自上述不同部位和層次組織中膠原纖維、網狀纖維、粘多糖（MPS ）、結締組織、神經纖維、血管等之分佈。結果顯示與針灸點及經脈有關之特殊結構，包括（1） 粘多糖，特別是酸性粘多糖之量，膠原纖維與神經之密度等顯示針灸點濃／密度最高，經脈次之，離開經穴較遠之中性組織則相對稀少；（2） 鄰近之結締組織、輸入神經組織與其功能之結構，合成一複雜之能量系統。The study was undertaken in order further to elucidate the relationship between structural specificities of acupoints and meridians and their clinical effectiveness. 356 biopsis samples were processed, 287 of which were taken from 48 adult and 2 newborn cadavers and the rest 69, from living patients, at three different levels beneath the acupoints, between meridians and at some distances away. Six types of staining methods were applied to the materials obtained from diversified areas in relation to acupoints and meridians, so as to manifest the distribution of collagen fibers, reticular fibers, mucopolysaccharides (MPS), connective tissues, nerve threads, blood vessels etc. The findings revealed that structural and biochemical specificities associated with acupoints and meridians included (1) amount of mucopolysaccharides, in particular acid MPS, the concentration of collagen fibers and, richness in nerve endings etc. with the intensities being highest around the acupoints, higher at the levels of meridians and low in areas at some distances away from meridians (2) constitution of the adjacent connective tissue and the afferent nerve formations and (3) functional structures constituting an energetic complex system.