Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as a complex medical science which reflects philosophical principles and embodies large dialectical thought, is used to place the human body into a large system for observation. Acupuncture as a vital part of TCM, has been practiced to treat various diseases and symptoms. However, acupuncture is also facing severe challenges resulted from insufficient modern scientific research. Nowadays, the holistic effects of acupuncture can be researched by some modern approaches, such as the systems biology and fMRI technique. It is believed that having a better understand will greatly promote acupuncture research and be beneficial to scientization and modernization of acupuncture. 1. Introduction Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), as a complex medical science which reflects philosophical principles and embodies large dialectical thought, is used to put the human body into a large system for observation [1]. As we knew, there are abundant differences between TCM and modern medicine. For example, health means a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being in modern medicine, whereas the concept in TCM includes the unison between man and universe, the fusion of shape and soul, the people-oriented view of values, and the balance of qi-blood-yin-yang in the human body [2]. Acupuncture, as a vital part of TCM, has been practiced to treat various diseases and symptoms for more than 2500 years and been accepted by the society as a priceless treasure. Despite cultural differences, acupuncture is being used by practitioners in western nations. More and more studies have indicated that acupuncture is safe and effective in treating a wide range of diseases [3–8]. However, acupuncture is also facing severe challenges. One of the reasons is that the methodology used in the acupuncture research is unable to capture the holistic and dynamic nature of diseases [1]. Nowadays, we lacks necessary well-defined molecular mechanism and basis, although acupuncture has been effective in treating many diseases especially chronic illness [2]. To conduct a systemic analysis on human body and diseases under the guidance of holistic view will be an utmost important way for developing acupuncture. There have been many recent attempts to address these issues but most of them were still based on the “reductionism” philosophy, whereas acupuncture is based on “holism” philosophy. The human body, a complicated system, could be identified as a self-controlled system network. The network is connected by the meridian that exists in whole body.
References
[1]
A. Zhang, H. Sun, Z. Wang, W. Sun, P. Wang, and X. Wang, “Metabolomics: towards understanding traditional Chinese medicine,” Planta Medica, vol. 76, no. 17, pp. 2026–2035, 2010.
[2]
X. Wang, H. Sun, A. Zhang, W. Sun, P. Wang, and Z. Wang, “Potential role of metabolomics apporoaches in the area of traditional Chinese medicine: as pillars of the bridge between Chinese and Western medicine,” Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, vol. 55, no. 5, pp. 859–868, 2011.
[3]
L.-P. Wang, X.-Z. Zhang, J. Guo et al., “Efficacy of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a single-blinded, double-dummy, randomized controlled trial,” Pain, vol. 152, no. 8, pp. 1864–1871, 2011.
[4]
B. M. Berman, L. Lao, P. Langenberg, W. L. Lee, A. M. K. Gilpin, and M. C. Hochberg, “Effectiveness of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee. A randomized, controlled trial,” Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 141, no. 12, pp. 901–910, 2004.
[5]
K. Linde, G. Allais, B. Brinkhaus, E. Manheimer, A. Vickers, and A. R. White, “Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, no. 1, Article ID CD001218, 2009.
[6]
A. Lee and L. T. Fan, “Stimulation of the wrist acupuncture point P6 for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, no. 2, Article ID CD003281, 2009.
[7]
A. F. Molsberger, T. Schneider, H. Gotthardt, and A. Drabik, “German Randomized Acupuncture Trial for chronic shoulder pain (GRASP)—a pragmatic, controlled, patient-blinded, multi-centre trial in an outpatient care environment,” Pain, vol. 151, no. 1, pp. 146–154, 2010.
[8]
H. Cao, X. Pan, H. Li, and J. Liu, “Acupuncture for treatment of insomnia: a systematic review of randomized Controlled trials,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 15, no. 11, pp. 1171–1186, 2009.
[9]
S.-M. Wang, Z. N. Kain, and P. White, “Acupuncture analgesia: I. The scientific basis,” Anesthesia and Analgesia, vol. 106, no. 2, pp. 602–610, 2008.
[10]
S. L. Cantwell, “Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine: the mechanism and management of acupuncture for chronic pain,” Topics in Companion Animal Medicine, vol. 25, no. 1, pp. 53–58, 2010.
[11]
G.-J. Wang, M. H. Ayati, and W.-B. Zhang, “Meridian studies in China: a systematic review,” JAMS Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 1–9, 2010.
[12]
P. Rong, B. Zhu, Y. Li et al., “Mechanism of acupuncture regulating visceral sensation and mobility,” Frontiers of Medicine in China, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 151–156, 2011.
[13]
B. Cheng, H. Shi, C.-F. Ji, J.-H. Li, S.-L. Chen, and X.-H. Jing, “Distribution of the activated acupoints after acute gastric mucosal injury in the rat,” Zhen Ci Yan Jiu, vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 193–197, 2010.
[14]
J. Yuchi, “Discussion of the relationship between meridians and connective tissues,” Nanjing Zhongyi Xueyuan Xuebao, vol. 2, pp. 36–37, 1986.
[15]
X. J. Du, “The relation of connective tissue to meridian,” Zhongguo Zhenjiu, vol. 9, pp. 53–54, 1989.
[16]
R. S. Dang, E. Y. Chen, X. Y. Shen, W. J. Zhu, P. J. Wang, and L. Fei, “Relation of connective tissue to the acupoints of the lung meridian,” Shanghai Zhenjiu Zazhi, vol. 16, pp. 28–29, 1997.
[17]
E. Y. Chen, X. Y. Shen, R. S. Dang et al., “A Relationship between connective tissue and accumulation of calcium with points on GB channel below head,” Shanghai Zhenjiu Zazhi, vol. 17, pp. 36–37, 1998.
[18]
X. Y. Shen, R. S. Dang, E. Y. Chen et al., “Relation of acupoints of the stomach channel with structure of connective tissue and accumulation of calcium,” Zhenci Yanjiu, vol. 10, pp. 595–597, 1998.
[19]
L. Fei, H. S. Cheng, D. H. Cai et al., “Experimental investigation and scientific demonstration of the materialistic foundation of meridians and their functional specialties,” Kexue Tongbao, vol. 43, pp. 658–672, 1998.
[20]
H. M. Langevin and J. A. Yandow, “Relationship of acupuncture points and meridians to connective tissue planes,” Anatomical Record, vol. 269, no. 6, pp. 257–265, 2002.
[21]
L. Yuan, D. W. Yao, L. Tang et al., “A Study on morphological basis of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion from digital human body,” Acta Anatomica Sinica, vol. 35, pp. 337–343, 2004.
[22]
W. Ma, H. Tong, W. Xu et al., “Perivascular space: possible anatomical substrate for the meridian,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 9, no. 6, pp. 851–859, 2003.
[23]
H. F. Juan and H. C. Huang, System Biology: Applications in Cancer-Related Research, World Scientific Press, Singapore, 2012.
[24]
Z. L. Whichard, C. A. Sarkar, M. Kimmel, and S. J. Corey, “Hematopoiesis and its disorders: a systems biology approach,” Blood, vol. 115, no. 12, pp. 2339–2347, 2010.
[25]
Y. Rudy, M. J. Ackerman, D. M. Bers et al., “Systems approach to understanding electromechanical activity in the human heart a national heart, lung, and blood institute workshop summary,” Circulation, vol. 118, no. 11, pp. 1202–1211, 2008.
[26]
D. Greenbaum, N. M. Luscombe, R. Jansen, J. Qian, and M. Gerstein, “Interrelating different types of genomic data, from proteome to secretome: ‘Oming in on function,” Genome Research, vol. 11, no. 9, pp. 1463–1468, 2001.
[27]
A. Zhang, H. Sun, G. Yan, W. Cheng, and X. Wang, “Systems biology approach opens door to essence of acupuncture,” Complementary Therapies in Medicine, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 253–259, 2013.
[28]
L. L. Lin, Y. H. Wang, C. Y. Lai et al., “Systems biology of meridians, acupoints, and chinese herbs in disease,” Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2012, Article ID 372670, 13 pages, 2012.
[29]
Y.-Z. Gao, S.-Y. Guo, Q.-Z. Yin, T. Hisamitsu, and X.-H. Jiang, “An individual variation study of electroacupuncture analgesia in rats using microarray,” American Journal of Chinese Medicine, vol. 35, no. 5, pp. 767–778, 2007.
[30]
K. T. Kotz, W. Xiao, C. Miller-Graziano et al., “Clinical microfluidics for neutrophil genomics and proteomics,” Nature Medicine, vol. 16, no. 9, pp. 1042–1047, 2010.
[31]
H. Sun, A. Zhang, G. Yan et al., “Metabolomic analysis of key regulatory metabolites in HCV-infected tree shrews,” Molecular and Cellular Proteomics, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 710–719, 2013.
[32]
L. Li, G.-H. Tan, and Y.-Z. Zhang, “Modulated expression of genes associated with NO signal transduction contributes to the cholesterol-lowering effect of electro-acupuncture,” Biotechnology Letters, vol. 34, no. 7, pp. 1175–1182, 2012.
[33]
Y.-G. Choi, S. Yeo, Y.-M. Hong, and S. Lim, “Neuroprotective changes of striatal degeneration-related gene expression by acupuncture in an MPTP mouse model of Parkinsonism: microarray analysis,” Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 377–391, 2011.
[34]
H.-S. Shiue, Y.-S. Lee, C.-N. Tsai, Y.-M. Hsueh, J.-R. Sheu, and H.-H. Chang, “Gene expression profile of patients with phadiatop-positive and -negative allergic rhinitis treated with acupuncture,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 59–68, 2010.
[35]
C. Tan, J. Wang, W. Feng, W. Ding, and M. Wang, “Preliminary correlation between warm needling treatment for knee osteoarthritis of deficiency-cold syndrome and metabolic functional genes and pathways,” Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 173–180, 2010.
[36]
S.-H. Sohn, S. K. Kim, E. Ko et al., “The genome-wide expression profile of electroacupuncture in DNP-KLH immunized mice,” Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, vol. 30, no. 4, pp. 631–640, 2010.
[37]
X.-Y. Wang, X.-L. Li, S.-Q. Hong, Y.-B. Xi-Yang, and T.-H. Wang, “Electroacupuncture induced spinal plasticity is linked to multiple gene expressions in dorsal root deafferented rats,” Journal of Molecular Neuroscience, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 97–110, 2009.
[38]
H.-S. Shiue, Y.-S. Lee, C.-N. Tsai, Y.-M. Hsueh, J.-R. Sheu, and H.-H. Chang, “DNA microarray analysis of the effect on inflammation in patients treated with acupuncture for allergic rhinitis,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 14, no. 6, pp. 689–698, 2008.
[39]
M. Li and Y. Zhang, “Modulation of gene expression in cholesterol-lowering effect of electroacupuncture at Fenglong acupoint (ST40): a cDNA microarray study,” International Journal of Molecular Medicine, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 617–629, 2007.
[40]
X. Ding, J. Yu, T. Yu, Y. Fu, and J. Han, “Acupuncture regulates the aging-related changes in gene profile expression of the hippocampus in senescence-accelerated mouse (SAMP10),” Neuroscience Letters, vol. 399, no. 1-2, pp. 11–16, 2006.
[41]
C. K. Kim, G. S. Choi, S. D. Oh, J. B. Han, S. K. Kim, and H. J. Ahn, “Electroacupuncture up-regulates natural killer cell activity: identification of genes altering their expressions in electroacupuncture induced up-regulation of natural killer cell activity,” Journal of Neuroimmunology, vol. 168, no. 1-2, pp. 144–153, 2005.
[42]
J.-C. Guo, H.-M. Gao, J. Chen et al., “Modulation of the gene expression in the protective effects of electroacupuncture against cerebral ischemia: a cDNA microarray study,” Acupuncture and Electro-Therapeutics Research, vol. 29, no. 3-4, pp. 173–186, 2004.
[43]
J. Ko, D. S. Na, Y. H. Lee, S. Y. Shin, J. H. Kim, and B. G. Hwang, “cDNA microarray analysis of the differential gene expression in the neuropathic pain and electroacupuncture treatment models,” Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 420–427, 2002.
[44]
C. H. Bae, D. S. Kim, Y. L. Jun et al., “Proteomic analysis of the effect of acupuncture on the suppression of kainic acid-induced neuronal destruction in mouse hippocampus,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, Article ID 436315, 8 pages, 2013.
[45]
X. Lai, J. Wang, N. R. Nabar, S. Pan, C. Tang, and Y. Huang, “Proteomic Response to acupuncture treatment in spontaneously hypertensive rats,” PLoS ONE, vol. 7, no. 9, Article ID e44219, 2012.
[46]
Y. H. Gao, S. P. Chen, J. Y. Wang, L. N. Qiao, F. Y. Meng, and Q. L. Xu, “Differential proteomics analysis of the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture intervention in the hippocampus following neuropathic pain in rats,” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 12, p. 241, 2012.
[47]
S. Pan, X. Zhan, X. Su, L. Guo, L. Lv, and B. Su, “Proteomic analysis of serum proteins in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with acupuncture,” Experimental Biology and Medicine, vol. 236, no. 3, pp. 325–333, 2011.
[48]
H.-J. Kim, H. J. Park, M. S. Hong et al., “Effect by acupuncture on hypothalamic expression of maternally separated rats: proteomic approach,” Neurological Research, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. S69–S73, 2010.
[49]
L. Li, W. Qin, L. Bai, and J. Tian, “Exploring vision-related acupuncture point specificity with multivoxel pattern analysis,” Magnetic Resonance Imaging, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 380–387, 2010.
[50]
S.-T. Kim, W. Moon, Y. Chae, Y. J. Kim, H. Lee, and H.-J. Park, “The effect of electroaucpuncture for 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine-induced proteomic changes in the mouse striatum,” Journal of Physiological Sciences, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 27–34, 2010.
[51]
S. Jeon, J. K. Youn, S.-T. Kim et al., “Proteomic analysis of the neuroprotective mechanisms of acupuncture treatment in a Parkinson's disease mouse model,” Proteomics, vol. 8, no. 22, pp. 4822–4832, 2008.
[52]
Q.-F. Wu, G. Ling-ling, Y. Shu-guang et al., “A1H NMR-based metabonomic study on the SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice and the effect of electro-acupuncture,” Experimental Gerontology, vol. 46, no. 10, pp. 787–793, 2011.
[53]
Q.-F. Wu, S. Mao, W. Cai et al., “Effects of electroacupuncture of “Weishu” (BL 21) and “Zhongwan” (CV 12) on serum large molecular metabolites in functional dyspepsia rats,” Acupuncture Research, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 287–292, 2010.
[54]
Y. Tang, L. L. Guo, Q. Zhang et al., “Effect on electric acupuncture to 1H-NMR spectrogram of senescence accelerated mouse/prone8 kidney,” Journal of Chengdu University of TCM, vol. 32, pp. 1–4, 2009.
[55]
Q. F. Wu, Q. Z. Zhou, Q. Zhang et al., “Metabonomic study on the effect of electroacupuncture on chronic emotional stress anxiety model rats,” Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, vol. 43, pp. 661–664, 2008.
[56]
R. P. Dhond, N. Kettner, and V. Napadow, “Neuroimaging acupuncture effects in the human brain,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 603–616, 2007.
[57]
K. Li, B. Shan, J. Xu et al., “Changes in fMRI in the human brain related to different durations of manual acupuncture needling,” Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 12, no. 7, pp. 615–623, 2006.
[58]
Y. Ding, G. Ding, X. Shen et al., “Observation on the characters of infrared radiation spectrum of acupoints in normal humans and CHD patients,” Journal of Biomedical Engineering, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 309–312, 2006.
[59]
Y. Maeda, N. Kettner, J. Lee et al., “Acupuncture-evoked response in somatosensory and prefrontal cortices predicts immediate pain reduction in carpal tunnel syndrome,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, Article ID 795906, 13 pages, 2013.
[60]
V. Napadow, A. Li, M. L. Loggia et al., “The brain circuitry mediating antipruritic effects of acupuncture,” Cerebral Cortex, 2012.
[61]
Y. Feng, L. Bai, Y. Ren et al., “FMRI connectivity analysis of acupuncture effects on the whole brain network in mild cognitive impairment patients,” Magnetic Resonance Imaging, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 672–682, 2012.
[62]
V. Napadow, N. Makris, J. Liu, N. W. Kettner, K. K. Kwong, and K. K. S. Hui, “Effects of electroacupuncture versus manual acupuncture on the human brain as measured by fMRI,” Human Brain Mapping, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 193–205, 2005.
[63]
I. Quah-Smith, M. A. Williams, T. Lundeberg, C. Suo, and P. Sachdev, “Differential brain effects of laser and needle acupuncture at LR8 using functional MRI,” Acupuncture in Medicine, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 282–289, 2013.
[64]
J. L. Fang, T. Krings, J. Weidemann, I. G. Meister, and A. Thron, “Functional MRI in healthy subjects during acupuncture: different effects of needle rotation in real and false acupoints,” Neuroradiology, vol. 46, no. 5, pp. 359–362, 2004.
[65]
X. Wang, S. T. Chan, J. Fang et al., “Neural encoding of acupuncture needling sensations: evidence from a FMRI study,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2013, Article ID 483105, 15 pages, 2013.
[66]
I. G. Akmaev, “Current concepts of the interactions of regulating systems: nervous, endocrine and immune,” Uspekhi Fiziologicheskikh Nauk, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 3–20, 1996.
[67]
P. J. Hornby, “Receptors and transmission in the brain-gut axis. II. Excitatory amino acid receptors in the brain-gut axis,” American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, vol. 280, no. 6, pp. G1055–G1060, 2001.
[68]
E. A. Mayer, B. D. Naliboff, L. Chang, and S. V. Coutinho, “V. Stress and irritable bowel syndrome,” American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, vol. 280, no. 4, pp. G519–G524, 2001.
[69]
R. A. Travagli and R. C. Rogers, “Receptors and transmission in the brain-gut axis: potential for novel therapies. V. Fast and slow extrinsic modulation of dorsal vagal complex circuits,” American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, vol. 281, no. 3, pp. G595–G601, 2001.
[70]
B. L. Bonaz and C. N. Bernstein, “Brain-gut interactions in inflammatory bowel disease,” Gastroenterology, vol. 144, no. 1, pp. 36–49, 2013.
[71]
L. Eshkevari, E. Permaul, and S. E. Mulroney, “Acupuncture blocks cold stress-induced increases in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis in the rat,” Journal of Endocrinology, vol. 217, no. 1, pp. 95–104, 2013.
[72]
M. Andersen, F. Vinther, and J. T. Ottesen, “Mathematical modeling of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis, including hippocampal mechanisms,” Mathematical Biosciences, vol. 246, no. 1, pp. 122–138, 2013.
[73]
H. J. Park, H. J. Park, Y. Chae, J. W. Kim, H. Lee, and J.-H. Chung, “Effect of Acupuncture on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal System in Maternal Separation Rats,” Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, vol. 31, no. 8, pp. 1123–1127, 2011.
[74]
V. J. Parker and A. J. Douglas, “Stress in early pregnancy: maternal neuro-endocrine-immune responses and effects,” Journal of Reproductive Immunology, vol. 85, no. 1, pp. 86–92, 2010.
[75]
Z. Zhaohui, Z. Jingzhu, D. Guipeng et al., “Role of neuropeptide Y in regulating hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis in the rats treated with electro-acupuncture,” Neuropeptides, vol. 46, no. 3, pp. 133–139, 2012.
[76]
Y.-S. Son, H.-J. Park, O.-B. Kwon, S.-C. Jung, H.-C. Shin, and S. Lim, “Antipyretic effects of acupuncture on the lipopolysaccharide-induced fever and expression of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β mRNAs in the hypothalamus of rats,” Neuroscience Letters, vol. 319, no. 1, pp. 45–48, 2002.
[77]
H. Mori, K. Nishijo, H. Kawamura, and T. Abo, “Unique immunomodulation by electro-acupuncture in humans possibly via stimulation of the autonomic nervous system,” Neuroscience Letters, vol. 320, no. 1-2, pp. 21–24, 2002.
[78]
K. J. Tracey, “The inflammatory reflex,” Nature, vol. 420, no. 6917, pp. 853–859, 2002.
[79]
S. F. Maier, L. E. Goehler, M. Fleshner, and L. R. Watkins, “The role of the vagus nerve in cytokine-to-brain communication,” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 840, pp. 289–300, 1998.
[80]
S. Xutian, J. Zhang, and W. Louise, “New exploration and understanding of traditional Chinese medicine,” American Journal of Chinese Medicine, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 411–426, 2009.
[81]
D. Zhu, Personal Experience of Danxi, Ancient Books Publishing House, Beijing, China, 1995.
[82]
S. Xutian, D. Cao, J. Wozniak, J. Junion, and J. Boisvert, “Comprehension of the unique characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine,” American Journal of Chinese Medicine, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 231–244, 2012.
