美加州大学发现电针刺能够降低血压

研究人员发现：在大鼠中使用针刺以及电刺激能够将升高的血压下降50％之多。2005年3月份的《应用生理学期刊》报道了这些结果。

研究小组将血压被人为升高的受测试大鼠前肢的特定穴位上进行针刺，但是针刺没有效果。随后，研究小组在针刺治疗之外加上了电刺激，将电流通过针刺针。高频刺激没有效果，但是较低水平将血压降低了40～50％。受测试大鼠接受30分钟的治疗之后，升高的血压被降低了25mmHg，这种作用持续了大约2小时。治疗只在高血压大鼠中有作用，显示对常规血压的大鼠没有影响。

美国欧文市加利福尼亚大学(UCI, USA)Susan Samueli结合医学中心主任John C.Longhurst博士说：“西方世界正在等待对针刺治疗方法科学根据的明确阐释，我们希望这项研究能够最终将古老的治疗方法与当代医学治疗手段有机结合起来。”

在早期的研究中UCI研究人员发现：当针刺针刺入腕部、前臂或腿部某些特定穴位的时候，能够触发大脑阿片化学物质的释放，从而减少心血管系统的兴奋反应。这就降低了心脏活性以及对氧气的需求，从而相应地降低血压，并促进一些心脏疾病地愈合，比如心肌缺血和高血压。
 
Electroacupuncture Lowers High Blood Pressure
 
Researchers have found that using acupuncture together with electrical stimulation can lower increased blood pressure by as much as 50% in rats. Their findings were reported in the March 2005 issue of the Journal of Applied Physiolology.

The research team applied acupuncture to specific points on the forelimb of test rats with artificially elevated blood pressure, but the acupuncture had no effect. Next, the team added electrical stimulation to the acupuncture treatment by running an electrical current through the needles. High frequencies of stimulation had no effect, but low levels lowered increased blood pressure by as much as 40-50%. A 30-minute treatment reduced blood pressure in the test rats by 25 mmHg, with the effect lasting almost two hours. The treatment was only effective on elevated blood pressure rates, showing no impact on standing blood pressure rates.

“The Western world is waiting for a clear scientific basis for using acupuncture, and we hope that this research ultimately will lead to the integration of ancient healing practices into modern medical treatment,” observed Dr. John C. Longhurst, director of the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, Irvine (UCI, USA).

In previous research, UCI researchers found that when an acupuncture needle is inserted at specific sites on the wrist, inside of the forearm or leg, this triggers the release of opioid chemicals in the brain that reduce excitatory responses in the cardiovascular system. This decreases the heart’s activity and its need for oxygen, which in turn can lower blood pressure and promote healing for a number of cardiac ailments, such as myocardial ischemia and hypertension.