How does moxibustion possibly work?

Jen-Hwey Chiu, Jen-Hwey Chiu

Abstract

"Acupmoxa" is a hybrid word of "acupuncture" and "moxibustion" that more closely resembles the Chinese ideograph for this treatment. People in Western countries are more familiar with acupuncture, while moxibustion is less popular, partially due to the paucity of scientific studies. Although the evidence-based efficacy of moxibustion needs to be further clarified, the mechanisms by which moxibustion may work include temperature-related and nontemperature-related ones. Local somatothermal stimulation (LSTS), one type of moxibustion, is achieved by application of a heat source to and above the acupoint. Such mild heat stimulation of the acupoint induces little skin damage, in contrast to the burning effect of moxibustion, but does provoke mild oxidative stress in the viscera. Thus, preconditioned LSTS at the peripheral acupoints LR 14 and PC 6 of animals is able to induce visceral HSP70 expression and to protect the liver and the heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Nontemperature-related mechanisms include smoke, herbs, and biophysical (far infrared) stimulation. We conclude that LSTS, a remote preconditioning method, has potential clinical usefulness. However, evidence-based efficacy and safety studies involving large-scaled clinical trials are needed in order that this approach will pass muster with Western scientists.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Different central manifestations between electrical acupuncture and local somatothermal stimulation at peripheral acupoints. Manganese-enhanced functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats after EA (a) at acupoint LI 4 and LSTS (b) at acupoint GB 24. The results showed that EA induced activation of pain-modulation nuclei such as the periaqueductal grey (PAG); however, in contrast, LSTS did not induce such activation.

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